By OLANREWAJU AKOJEDE

As the Lagos State Government continues to battle heaps of refuse across the city, residents on Thursday decried the indiscriminate dumping of waste along the corridor and median of Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase I.

The residents expressed their concerns in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), describing the practice as an eyesore in a highbrow residential area like Lekki.

An on-site visit by NAN to Admiralty Way revealed heaps of refuse on the median and roadside of the popular road, particularly near the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge.

Speaking with NAN, a security official, who simply identified himself as Nnamdi, attached to a popular mall close to the refuse dump, said the perpetrators of the illegal dumping were mostly street boys popularly known as “Bola Boys.”

“The Bola Boys are the ones dumping the refuse on the median. They usually collect refuse from various adjoining estates and dump it there.

“When asked why the Bola Boys were not apprehended, Nnamdi explained that the dumping was mostly carried out in the middle of the night.

“I have little power over those boys because I am not employed to arrest people on the street, especially as they usually come in the middle of the night to dump the refuse.

“Sometimes we shout at them, but the deed is often done before we can open our gates to confront them.

“The residents of the estates also share part of the blame because they are the ones patronising the local boys to evacuate refuse from their homes, perhaps when government collectors do not arrive on time.

“The security personnel in the other estates should also stop the boys from entering their premises to put an end to the menace because it is disturbing.

“I live in Bariga and come to work here; I do not expect this type of situation in Lekki,” he told NAN.

A sweeper with the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Mrs Ajoke, said she was not authorised to speak with the press but absolved the agency of responsibility for the dumping of refuse on the median.

“We are not responsible for dumping refuse on the median. We are only employed to sweep the streets, and none of our members is allowed to dump refuse there.

“We report cases of refuse on the road to our supervisors, who in turn arrange for its evacuation.

“However, the one close to the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge is peculiar because the perpetrators operate at night.

“We usually find refuse on the median early in the morning, even after the previous day’s waste has been evacuated.

“The dumping of refuse is carried out by those Bola Boys who collect it from the estates. However, perhaps the refuse is now more noticeable because those responsible for collecting the waste may have missed a day or two,” she said.

Mr Dapo Durosinmi, a resident of Wole Olateju Street, Lekki Phase I, condemned the illegal dumpsite on the median and called for stricter government control and greater residents’ cooperation.

“My house is close to Admiralty Way, and whenever I pass through, it is a disturbing sight. How can a place like Lekki tolerate such an aberration?

“The Lekki I know used to be one of the cleanest communities in Lagos, but it is now becoming something else. I think we need stricter government control to stop this.

“The residents themselves are also guilty because if those boys known as Bola Boys, as alleged, had not been given the task of collecting waste in the first place, we would not be talking about this.

“We need to be circumspect in dealing with this issue. No more Bola Boys in Lekki; this is not a place for them, and residents should realise this,” he said.

A passerby, simply identified as Janet, also told NAN that the noticeable illegal dumpsite was a recent development in the community.

“We did not use to have this problem, but perhaps it started a few months ago when LAWMA officials stopped showing up regularly.

“Sometimes it takes a week or two before the LAWMA officials show up.

“Where are residents expected to keep their waste for two weeks without seeking alternatives? Sometimes our trash bins are full, with nowhere to dispose of the refuse.

“We have a problem on our hands, and only timely waste collection and adequate waste management can resolve it,” she said.

Another LAWMA official, Mrs Omosewa, however, told NAN that the issue would be escalated to the appropriate authorities for immediate action and evacuation of the refuse. (NAN)