Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has urged residents to complement government efforts by taking greater responsibility for their environment, properly disposing of waste and complying with environmental regulations.
Hamzat made the call during an interview on ‘Daily Digest with Jim Disu’ on Nigeria Info FM on Tuesday, where he stressed that a cleaner Lagos ultimately depends on the collective actions of government, operators and residents.
According to the Deputy Governor, a more organised and sustainable waste-management system is important and essential in Lagos as the state continues to experience rapid population growth and urbanisation.
Attributing some of the State’s waste-management challenges to the significant increase in the volume of waste generated daily, Hamzat stated that the figure had exceeded the government’s initial projections, linking the increase in waste generation to Lagos’ expanding population and the growing number of people living and operating informally across the State. He added that these factors had further increased the volume of waste requiring collection and disposal.
His words, “The government had initially estimated that Lagos generated about 13,000 tonnes of waste daily but subsequently discovered that the volume had risen to approximately 17,000 tonnes. The increase had placed additional pressure on the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and other waste-management operators, making effective planning and management more difficult.”
He disclosed that Lagos currently has about 420 Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators involved in waste collection, while disruptions affecting waste-collection trucks had also contributed to the challenges experienced in some parts of the State.
He cautioned against simply blaming LAWMA for the situation, noting that the agency had been saddled with a responsibility whose scale was not initially anticipated.
The Deputy Governor stressed the importance of accurate data in addressing the challenge, noting that proper planning and effective management could only be achieved when the actual scale of a problem was known. “You cannot manage what you cannot measure,” he said, stressing the need for the State to continually review its waste-management strategies in line with the realities of a rapidly growing metropolis.
He therefore called on Nigerians to embrace a renewed sense of responsibility and patriotism, urging citizens to protect public assets, respect the law, uphold family values and contribute to the development of the country, underscoring the need for a national reset anchored on education, strong family values, responsible citizenship and effective enforcement of laws.
In addition, the Deputy Governor stated that rebuilding Nigeria’s value system must begin with the education and upbringing of children, noting that the family, schools, religious institutions, government and other segments of society all have important roles to play in shaping responsible citizens.
He said, “What Nigerians have are our values. Education is key, and we must make sure that all our children are well educated. We have to go back and start again. The major pillars are the family, schools, education and our laws. We must strengthen all of these to make sure that we do not lose our values.”
While highlighting the role of the family in character formation, Hamzat acknowledged that some members of the older generation may not have adequately fulfilled their responsibilities as parents and mentors. He said rebuilding the values of the younger generation must begin afresh, with families, schools, religious institutions, government and the legal system all playing critical roles in shaping responsible citizens.
Hamzat also advocated stronger enforcement of laws, stressing that the existence of laws without compliance and enforcement would make it difficult to build a disciplined and orderly society, maintaining that every segment of society has defined responsibilities and boundaries which must be respected and enforced fairly, irrespective of status or position.
Belittling the destruction of public infrastructure and government assets, the Deputy Governor said such acts demonstrate a troubling lack of ownership and responsibility among some citizens, admonishing Nigerians to stop behaving like tenants in their own country and develop a stronger sense of ownership of national assets.
He added that government infrastructure ultimately belonged to the people and should therefore be protected by the same citizens for whom such facilities were provided. The Deputy Governor also cited the vandalism and destruction of public infrastructure, including bridges, as examples of actions that undermine development and impose additional financial burdens on government and taxpayers.
He therefore called for a collective approach to nation-building, stressing that the responsibility extended beyond politicians to teachers, parents, religious leaders, community leaders, professionals and ordinary citizens. “This is not just for politicians. It is for teachers, for parents, for religious leaders, for all of us. All of us must believe that this country belongs to all of us,” Hamzat concluded.
