Residents of Lagos have expressed concern over what they described as the increasingly irregular services provided by Private Sector Participant waste operators in the state, warning that indiscriminate dumping of refuse is heightening environmental and public health risks.

The residents spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Lagos.

NAN observed that parts of Ikorodu, Ayobo, Alagbado, Shasha, Ikotun, Akesan, Afariogun Street, Mafoluku, Airport Road, and LASU-Iba Road have suffered long gaps in waste evacuation.

Many households have resorted to burning refuse or dumping it in gutters, particularly during rainfall.

In Ikorodu, Miss Adekoya Toyosi, a businesswoman, said PSP operators no longer maintain predictable schedules.

?Collection sometimes drops from three times a month to once a month. If the waste is much and the PSP doesn?t come around, we use the gutter when it rains, and sometimes we burn it when it?s sunny,? she said, adding that residents pay between ?500 and ?700 depending on waste volume.

Mr Timilehin Ogunnariwo, also an Ikorodu resident and human resource practitioner, noted that PSP trucks often arrive already full, leaving inner streets unattended.

?I use three drums in my compound, but when waste accumulates, rats scatter it everywhere. Leakage from overflowing PSP trucks in the local market has become a recurring environmental hazard,? he said.

Mrs Ajibola Mafolayanmi, a fashion designer, said she burns her waste three to four times a week.

?There is a field where people dispose of their waste, but it?s far. Burning gives us catarrh and cough, but we have no choice since the PSP does not come to our area,? she explained.

Mrs Ogundinmu Mariam, who oversees market waste in Ikorodu, said refuse is evacuated weekly through the local council but not consistently.

?During the rainy season, the whole place becomes messy and smelly. Some residents have turned to informal haulers,? she said.

Mrs Oluranti Favour, a food vendor, said cart pushers are now her main option, adding that PSP operators ?come once in a while.? Another resident, Iya Gbogo, said she pays between ?500 and ?1,000 weekly for private disposal because she is not registered under the PSP.

In Ayobo Extension, residents attributed service gaps to bad roads and persistent rainfall. Mrs Gloria Ogbu said operators resurfaced ?only after a very long while.?

At Shasha, Egbeda, a teacher, Mrs Stella Lawrence, said PSP operators render ?selective services,? noting that nearby estates enjoy regular pickups while other streets are neglected.

?They should make waste evacuation regular and affordable. Many people now rely on banned cart pushers,? she said.

Along AIT Road, Alagbado, NAN observed heaps of refuse on the road median, attributed to weeks of non-collection.

In Ikotun, Mr Ugochukwu Eze, a journalist, criticised the billing system by PSP operators.

?Sometimes, they don?t come for two weeks, yet they bill you as if they came. They behave like the former NEPA that bills you whether service is rendered or not,? he said, calling for a pay-as-you-go model to avoid shortchanging residents.

In the Akesan?Badore axis along LASU?Isheri Road, Mr Kunle Ayodele, a civil servant, said PSP operators had not visited in more than three weeks.

?The heaps of dirt pose a risk of disease outbreak. PSP comes only twice a month, so people now dump refuse on the expressway,? he said, adding that the closure of the Igando dumpsite and relocation to Badagry has increased turnaround time and diesel costs, affecting collection frequency.

Mr Ugochukwu Okoro, a civil servant and resident of Ajao Estate, said PSP operators have reduced collection in the estate despite regular payments.

?I don?t understand what is happening. PSP operators who used to come every Wednesday are no longer coming. Ajao Estate, known for its cleanliness, is gradually being littered with waste,? he said.

However, residents in Lekki Phase 1 reported consistent service. Mrs Ese Afolabi, a civil servant, commended PSP operators for evacuating waste every Monday or the next day if delayed.

?Their consistency keeps the environment clean and healthy,? she said.

The President of the Association of Scrap and Waste Pickers of Lagos, Mr Friday Oku, acknowledged concerns about scavengers scattering waste at collection points. He said the association is collaborating with government agencies to train waste pickers on proper handling and occupational safety.

?Some are not under our association and avoid training because they fear taxation. We are planning more community awareness and training next year,? he said.

Commenting on broader challenges, the President of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria, Dr Olugbenga Adebola, said PSP operators remain committed to effective service delivery but face structural constraints.

?The PSP operators are committed to efficient service delivery. However, as some of your respondents noted, there are challenges at the disposal sites which we, together with the government, are discussing at the highest level. We recently met with the governor, and the discussions were productive. Short-, medium-, and long-term solutions are being worked on to address the disposal problems,? he said.

Residents across affected communities urged the Lagos State Government and Lagos Waste Management Authority to ensure more frequent and predictable PSP services to curb indiscriminate dumping, burning, and related health hazards. (PUNCH)

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