Sanwo-Olu’s aide insist LAWMA cleared waste after Lagos sanitation exercise

The Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on New Media, Jubril Gawat, has dismissed claims that the Lagos Waste Management Authority failed to evacuate refuse following the reintroduced monthly environmental sanitation exercise.

Gawat, in a post on X on Sunday, described the allegation as “false,” insisting that waste collection efforts were carried out across all local government areas.

“Saying LAWMA ‘did not’ come to pack waste yesterday is very FALSE.

“Not only FALSE, various LGAs have bought their own compactor trucks to decentralise the work LAWMA was meant to do yesterday. That decentralisation is part of the future of environmental issues in the state,” Gawat said.

He added that the exercise was not limited to LAWMA alone, stressing that local governments played active roles in waste evacuation.

“ALL LGAs participated in the exercise yesterday and all interventions are still ongoing till this moment.

“This environmental sanitation will continue monthly, and the re-awakening of everyone to the issues of the environment continues,” Gawat stated.

He was responding to a post by X user Lola Okunrin, who questioned the effectiveness of the exercise, particularly waste evacuation.

“Did Lagosians come out yesterday for environmental? YES!

“Did LAWMA come around to pack the wastes? NO, as usual. Did the rain push everything back into the gutters? Yes,” he wrote.

Okunrin further criticised the state’s waste management approach, noting, “Will Lagos continue to smell if we don’t manage our waste logistics well? Yes. Is Tokunbo working? Yes, but not smartly.”

The exchange comes amid mixed reactions trailing the reintroduction of the monthly sanitation exercise by the Lagos State Government.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu had earlier commended residents for participating in the exercise held on Saturday, describing the turnout as encouraging across several parts of the state.

“I thank Lagosians who joined the call to clean up our environment as a sure step to good health.

“That is patriotic; it is the Spirit of Lagos that we often speak about. We should continue to walk that path,” the governor said.

He also urged residents to avoid indiscriminate waste disposal, especially as the rainy season approaches, warning that blocked drainage channels could worsen flooding.

The state government said it has intensified drainage clearance efforts and launched a public campaign to discourage improper waste disposal, as part of broader measures to improve environmental sanitation and flood control.