LAGOS TO DRIVE GDP THROUGH WASTE MANAGEMENT

IKEJA, Nigeria – Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, on Monday said the State generates 13,000 tonnes of waste daily, as against the 10,000 generated in the U.S city of New York. He said this is excluding areas that are are not captured such as Ayobo and Ijede; which could see the figure rise to 16,000 tonnes daily.

The governor said such amount of waste could potentially be converted to wealth to boost the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the State.

This according to him, is why the State government has attracted ‘Vision Scale’- an international organisation renown for being the largest waste management company in the world- into the State, under its ‘Cleaner Lagos Initiative’. This move, he said, demonstrates the commitment of the State towards tackling waste issues, even in a recession.

Governor Ambode stated this at a sensitization Programme on Water Technology and Environmental Control; noting that Lagos requires a new land fill site that is scientifically treated and not a dump site, as is currently the case with the Olushosun dump site situated in the Ojota area of the State.

He also said his government had a comprehensive plan to protect its shoreline and coastal areas from overflows. In this regard, he said billions of naira is being spent to checkmate any eventuality, pointing out that only 600 thousand people of the over 21 million people pay tax in the State.

In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Waterfront and Infrastructure, Adebowale Akinsanya, corroborated the governor by saying the State was leaving no stone unturned to protect its shoreline.