Lagos Residents Raise Alarm Over Refuse Heaps Despite Sanitation Efforts

Despite residents turning out to clean their surroundings and clear blocked drainage channels during the exercise, piles of waste were still observed at several designated collection points, causing frustration among community members.

Residents said the abandoned refuse had become a growing public health concern, especially with the ongoing rainy season, which has contributed to flooding, unpleasant odours and worsening environmental conditions.

Areas including Masha, Lawanson, Kilo and Ogunlana were monitored during the exercise, with residents actively participating in cleaning activities. However, commercial activities remained limited as many residents complied with the movement restriction introduced by the Lagos State Government during the sanitation period.

A resident of Masha, Bose Akinyemi, lamented that some waste collection points had remained unattended for weeks despite several complaints to relevant authorities.

She explained that while residents had made efforts to keep their immediate surroundings clean, the continued presence of refuse had created additional problems, as rainfall often washed waste into drainage channels and worsened sanitation challenges.

Another resident, Adewale Baruwa from Lawanson, raised concerns over the increase in mosquitoes around homes due to stagnant water and accumulated waste, adding that children and vulnerable residents were at risk of health complications.

Similarly, a Kilo resident, Funke Sulaimon, revealed that many households had been forced to rely on cart pushers to dispose of their waste because official waste collection services had become irregular.

She appealed to authorities to improve waste evacuation services, noting that residents could not continue storing refuse for extended periods.

A resident of Ogunlana, Waidi Kareem, also called on the Lagos State Government and the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) to increase the frequency of waste collection across communities to prevent further environmental and health challenges.