LAWMA warns against sharing old videos of Mushin waste

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has spoken out against the sharing of old videos and images that claim to show the current waste problems in Mushin.

LAWMA called this practice misleading and said it could create a wrong impression about the waste situation in the area.

Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, released a statement on Sunday through the agency’s Director of Public Affairs, Mukaila Sanusi. He mentioned that Mushin was clean at the moment, thanks to ongoing efforts by the authority to fix service delays over the past three weeks.

He explained that LAWMA had sent trucks into the inner streets to collect waste directly from households and communities. They have also worked with market and community leaders to improve coordination and quickly fix any service gaps.

"Some of the videos being shared as if they show the current situation in Mushin are old. Presenting them without dates or context is misleading.

“We know there have been service delays in some areas, but LAWMA has stepped in, and the situation today is different,” Gbadegesin said.

He added that residents should not dump waste on road medians or other unauthorized spots. He encouraged communities facing delays in waste collection to reach out to LAWMA through their Community Development Association or community leaders for temporary direct collection, just like what is happening in Mushin.

The agency also shared an interview where residents talked about waste management in their community.

Mrs Taiwo Adenekan, a resident of Dakobiri Street, Mushin, commented on the intervention. She said the direct collection had made a clear difference in the area.

"We have seen LAWMA trucks coming into the market and taking away the waste," she said. She added that direct collection made it easier for people to dispose of their waste and helped stop them from dumping it in unauthorized places.

Chief Samsideen Obawunmi, Babaloja of Irepodun Market, Mushin, noted that working with market stakeholders had helped highlight waste management issues in the community. He said traders were also being encouraged to dispose of their waste properly.

Alhaji Kazeem, General Secretary of Mushin Market, praised LAWMA for involving community representatives and addressing residents' complaints. He said that the direct collection from inner streets gave people a better option for waste disposal.

Owolabi Akinwande, a resident of Moroduke, Mushin, also welcomed the initiative. He said direct collection made it easier for households to dispose of their waste correctly.

He urged residents to contact LAWMA through community channels whenever there were delays.

LAWMA repeated its strict stance against dumping on road medians and emphasized that residents must package their waste properly while using approved collection methods.

The authority promised communities facing service delays that they would keep intervening as needed, while working with PSP operators, market leaders, CDAs, and other stakeholders to improve waste collection in Mushin and other affected areas.

LAWMA advised residents to ignore outdated materials presented as current, report real service delays through the right channels, and support the collective effort for a cleaner Lagos.