The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has announced plans to increase the charge for waste evacuation by 50% with effect from October 1, 2022.
The proposed price increase is due to high cost of operation by Private Sector Participants (PSP), the cost of overheads especially that of diesel and spare parts for the trucks that waste managers used for evacuation of wastes.
The hint was given by the Managing Director of LAWMA, Mr Ibrahim Odumboni, on Wednesday in Lagos during a news conference on the activities of the agency from January 2022 till date, recent challenges, solutions, as well as sustainability measures that had been put in place.
Odumboni said that faced with the reality of increasing costs, a tariff review was under consideration and the upward price review, adding that an extensive and consultative review of the tariffs to meet these rising costs will commence from September 1.
Managing Director of LAWMA Speaks
Odumboni said that the cost of Diesel used by PSP operators, which used to be N278 per litre in January, had risen to about N875, representing 300% increase.
He noted that although Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration planned to support the PSPs in the waste disposal system in the state with fuel subsidy, the increase in waste disposal tariff had become inevitable.
He said, “PSP, CDA/CDC and LAWMA will take part in the review process, we want to appeal to tenements, the quicker we resolve this the better it will be for us in terms of the percentage increase.
“In some cases, it might be lesser than that because waste is dependent on your individual lifestyles.
“We are in the process of extensive and consultative pricing review for PSP services that we offer in household, knowing full well that we are trying to recognise the economic trend in Nigeria.
“We are trying to ensure that we are not introducing any change that will automatically disenfranchise people and cause the menace of waste in our immediate society.’’
On efforts to meet up with changing demands such as the rising cost of diesel and the demands of clean energy, Odumboni said that LAWMA had begun processes of the dual fuel systems for trucks.
He pointed out that some trucks have already been converted to dual fuel system – 50% diesel and 50% gas for efficiency.
Odumboni said that the authority was considering the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to power PSP trucks to address the problem of high energy costs.
Residents without waste bin to Be prosecute
The LAWMA boss said that from October 1, abatement notices would be issued to houses without waste disposal bins, warning that the authority would prosecute any household that did not have a bin from October 1
He said, ”If you don’t have a bin from October 1, you may be prosecuted.’’
He said that it was wrong for a compound of several houses to have just one waste bin, adding that sanitary officers will go round from house to house to advocate on the importance of adopting a bin and sorting of wastes.
Odumboni said that in the nearest future, the agency intended to operate a two-bin system, whereas one bin would be for recyclables and the other for organic waste.
Noteworthy
Recall that just in January 2021, LAWMA approved an upward review of tariffs for domestic waste disposal by 100%.
LAWMA had blamed the price increment which was across categories of property and was meant to take effect from March 1, 2021, on the high cost of operations and equipment maintenance by the solid waste collector companies.
