Refuse Heaps Persist on Lagos Roads Despite Sanwo-Olu’s Evacuation Order

Large heaps of refuse continue to line several major roads across Lagos despite Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu's directive for round-the-clock waste evacuation, raising concerns among residents over environmental sanitation and public health.

The governor had recently ordered the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), the Ministry of the Environment and other relevant agencies to intensify waste clearance operations across the state following widespread complaints about mounting refuse on roads, medians and in residential communities.

However, visits to several parts of the metropolis revealed that piles of uncollected waste remain on major roads, with residents and motorists expressing frustration over the slow pace of evacuation. Many warned that the situation could worsen during the rainy season by blocking drainage channels and increasing the risk of flooding and disease outbreaks.

Some residents blamed the persistent waste build-up on inadequate collection services and operational challenges facing waste management contractors, while calling on the state government to strengthen monitoring and ensure prompt evacuation of refuse.

LAWMA has acknowledged the operational difficulties affecting waste collection in some areas, attributing part of the challenge to limited access to disposal facilities during the rainy season. The agency said it has deployed additional resources and is implementing immediate and long-term measures to improve service delivery across Lagos.

Environmental experts have urged residents to dispose of waste responsibly while calling on authorities to sustain efforts to improve sanitation, warning that prolonged refuse accumulation poses serious environmental and public health risks.