By Ogun, Nigeria – The Ogun State Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA) has sanctioned 128 residents and 20 industries for disposing of waste indiscriminately across the state. This was announced in a statement issued by the Special Adviser and Managing Director of OGWAMA, Abayomi Hunye, via the authority’s X account on Tuesday, August 26.
The release stated, “The residents, who were sentenced to hours of community service, committed the environmental offences in Sango-Ota, Ifo, Ijebu-Ode, Papa Lanto, and Abeokuta as they were caught disposing of their waste in medians and public places, while the industries were equally sanctioned after their trucks were caught disposing of waste on road verges along the Lagos-Ibadan and Sagamu-Abeokuta expressways.”
Abayomi Hunye explained that the residents and the trucks of the industries were apprehended by the authority’s Enforcement Squad in the early hours of Tuesday while committing these acts, contrary to the state environmental laws. According to him, the concern lies in the deliberate actions of those apprehended, who aimed to undermine the state government’s cleanliness efforts by refusing to use government-approved waste collectors in their communities without valid reasons.
Hunye said, “Their attitude is not just an affront to lawful government orders but deliberately endangers the health and safety of other law-abiding residents of the state who have embraced the spirit of proper waste disposal and management for a cleaner, healthier, and safer environment.”
Hunye noted that the enforcement team would continue to monitor the roadside and public places to apprehend offenders. He also urged residents and industries in the state to continue disposing of and managing their waste responsibly. Additionally, he added that OGWAMA will launch a “Blue Box Initiative,” which will allow for the exchange of plastics, paper, and iron waste for revenue.
