An Appraisal of Waste Management in Lagos Metropolis: A Case Study of Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).

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Date
2017
Authors
Onuminya, Temitope
Nze, Evelyn
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty of Physical Sciences and Faculty of Life Sciences, Univ. of Ilorin, Nigeria
Abstract
Waste accumulation occurs when waste isn’t readily disposed and this leads to filth, diseased conditions and poor aesthetic appeal. In Lagos, the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) is the body responsible for collection of waste in Lagos State by keeping plastic refuse bin at designated locations in the metropolis. This work aims to appraise the activities of LAWMA in Lagos Metropolis. This was achieved by randomly administering questionnaire to residents of Alimosho, Eti-Osa and Kosofe Local Government Areas in the Lagos Metropolis. The data collected was analyzed using inferential statistics. Of the 300 questionnaires distributed, 275 (91.67%) were retrieved from respondents and was used in the analysis. Findings showed that 100% of the respondents are aware of LAWMA activities in Lagos State and they noted that waste are evacuated on the average of once in a week by the use of LAWMA truck. Majority of the respondents, 180 (60%), believe this has only being partially effective in waste management as waste pile up for too long before evacuation takes place leading to dirty environment, disease outbreaks and the immense environmental pollution. According to respondents in the study area, a major draw back in service delivery by LAWMA is the breakdown of waste evacuation trucks; others include non-payment of collection fees by the populace, limited number of equipment, man power, inadequate maintenance capacity as well as lack of cooperation from residence in ensuring proper waste management. It is therefore recommended that government should ensure the regular maintenance of the trucks used by LAWMA as well as public education, orientation and awareness programs on proper waste handling through the mass media while LAWMA should increase the frequency of waste collection in the state so as to ensure sustainable environment.
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Keywords
Lagos, LAWMA, Pollution, Waste management, Sustainable Cities.
Citation
Onuminya, T.O. and Nze, E.C. (2017). An Appraisal of Waste Management in Lagos Metropolis: A Case Study of Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA). Nigerian Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences 30(3): 3104-3108 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.19240/njpas.2017.C07