The immediate past Secretary to the State Government( SSG), of Lagos State, Mr Tunji Bello, has said that former governor of the state , Mr Akinwunmi Ambode compounded environmental challenges of the state by refusing to follow the development plan (2012 – 2025) laid by his predecessor.

Mr Bello, made this assertion in the course of fielding questions from members of the Ad hoc Screening Committee of Lagos House of Assembly, when he appeared before them today, Thursday, August 1, 2019.

While giving his experience as a former commissioner for Environment in the state , he disclosed that the state government had a development plan ( 2012 – 2025) which the last administration failed to work on .

He said the poor comprehension of waste management plan by the immediate past administration in the state compounded the state environmental challenges.

His words, ” Some of the experts brought to the Ministry of Environment were posted out. That was how many of them became discouraged. Even their equipment disappeared.

He went on, ” The past administration ignored advice and threw away the model that has been earning the state global accolades. That was when the system started crumbling “.

He went further, ” So, the ministry of environment that was saddled with the responsibility of of maintaining and ensuring better environment, was confronted by dearth of experts.”

He said the ministry was deprived of staff that could monitor and supervise the activities of PSPs in the state .
He said the agency that suffered most by redeployment of experts from the ministry was Lagos State Waste Management Authority ( LAWMA).

“This because some of its equipment got missing and other things happened to the agency.”

Bello said the situation is not irredeemable. But the present administration has to buy more compactors for the operators particularly the PSP operators.

He said the state generates 1,000metric tonnes of refuse daily which require adequate method of disposal.

He said the state needed to reduce the number of dump site and intensify efforts on waste management conversion.

” There are few areas you can set up dump site in Lagos State because the state is below the sea level. You cannot set up dump site in Lagos Island, except in places like Agege , Abule Egba and others.

On flooding he said there are nine main drainages in the state. He said only six have been developed drainage channels.