Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has reportedly directed the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, to resign amid growing concerns over the worsening waste management crisis in the state.

An insider within the agency disclosed that the governor’s decision followed dissatisfaction with the slow evacuation of refuse from roads, residential neighbourhoods and drainage channels, despite earlier directives to address the situation.

The source said Sanwo-Olu’s displeasure intensified after an inspection of the Olusosun dumpsite in Ojota, where he reportedly expressed concern over the state of operations and instructed the relevant authorities to take immediate action.

According to the source, the governor was unhappy that conditions had not improved sufficiently following the declaration of an emergency on waste management. The agency chief was reportedly asked to step down over the weekend.

For months, residents across several parts of Lagos have complained about accumulating refuse along roads and streets. Areas affected include Mushin, Egbeda, Surulere, Ajegunle, Ikorodu, Ojo, Obalende, Apapa and Mile 2.

The situation has raised concerns about environmental sanitation, public health and the potential obstruction of drainage channels, particularly as the state continues to grapple with the effects of poor waste collection.

In September, Sanwo-Olu declared a state of emergency on waste management after inspecting the Olusosun dumpsite. He attributed part of the collection challenges to the failure of some Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators to fulfil their responsibilities.

The governor also said fire incidents at dumpsites had disrupted operations, while ongoing waste-compaction work at Olusosun and Solous 3 was expected to improve evacuation capacity. He stated that the completion of the projects would enable each site to receive about 450 trucks of municipal waste daily.

Meanwhile, Gbadegesin has continued to provide updates on LAWMA’s interventions. In a recent update, he reported clearance operations in Mile 2 and additional truck deployment to Doyin-Orile and surrounding communities. He also listed areas where collection services had been sustained or placed under interim arrangements.

The LAWMA chief said the authority was working to move beyond one-off clearance exercises towards regular collection and measures to prevent refuse from accumulating again.

An attempt to obtain a response from the Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotoso, was unsuccessful, as an aide said the commissioner was in a meeting and asked that the call be made later.

Gbadegesin was reappointed to lead LAWMA following Sanwo-Olu’s re-election. As of the report, there was no publicly confirmed statement from the governor or the agency chief regarding the reported resignation directive.