By Fatimah Idera
The Lagos State Government has announced a €120 million investment from the Netherlands to support its waste-to-energy project in partnership with Dutch company, Harvest Waste Consortium.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Tokunbo Wahab, made the disclosure, noting that the project will help convert waste into electricity.
Wahab said, “At the decommissioned Epe landfill, processing 2,500 to 3,000 tons of waste daily from the city’s total of 13,000 to 14,000 tons.”
His response was in direct response to rumors circulating among visitors that Lagos has a toxic smell, stemming from the city’s production of 10,000 tonnes of waste daily—three times that of Ghana.
It is a known fact that Lagos being the Centre of Excellence and a hub of socio-economic activities, it is exposed to significant environmental abuse.
Mr. Wahab explained that the Lagos State Government is already committed to tackling the issues raised through strengthened waste management efforts.
A resident, Kafilat Abidemi, who spoke of the situation explained that Lagos accommodates too many people with fewer lands to contain everyone.
“You can appreciate this at Oshodi around 7-9pm on Fridays and Saturdays. In addition to a face mask, get a mint candy, this will save you when you lose your face mask in the heat of traffic… “
Another reaction from Olamide Abey came from a rhetorical question:”Why does Lagos smell so much? Almost every part of the state has a pervasive odour, varying unpleasant smells from one area to another. There’s no fresh breeze. I have had to wear a face mask constantly; otherwise, I feel like I might vomit. Why is this?,” he lamented
Pelumi Soyinka who also commented on the development argued that it is very hard to have a breath of fresh hair in the city, even as he complained bitterly and hoped the partnerships being entered ino by the Lagos State government would work out in mitigating the issues.
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