By Olasunkanmi Akoni
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has appointed Dr. Hassan Sanuth as the new Managing Director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), following reports that the incumbent, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, had been asked to resign over persistent waste management challenges across the state.
However, relevant state authorities had yet to officially confirm the development as of press time.
Sources familiar with the matter said the governor had become dissatisfied with the continued accumulation of refuse on major roads, residential streets and drainage channels despite directives to improve waste collection.
One of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Sanwo-Olu had asked Gbadegesin to resign over the weekend, although the outgoing managing director was reportedly seeking more time to address the situation.
“The directives aim at addressing the waste challenges in the state,” the source told Vanguard.
Sanuth, before his reported appointment, was the Director of Sanitation Services in the Office of Environmental Services, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.
The reported development comes amid renewed concerns over waste collection and disposal across Lagos, despite the state government’s recent interventions to address the problem.
Sanwo-Olu Declares Emergency on Waste Management
Recall that Sanwo-Olu, during a visit to the Olusosun Dumpsite in Ojota about a month ago, expressed dissatisfaction with the heaps of refuse across the state, describing the situation as “embarrassing”.
The governor ordered immediate action, directed a comprehensive overhaul of LAWMA’s operational structures and management, and declared a state of emergency on waste management.
Accompanied by his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Sanwo-Olu met with stakeholders in the waste management sector at the dumpsite to assess the challenges affecting municipal waste collection and outline immediate, medium- and long-term solutions.
He acknowledged the slow pace of waste collection, attributing the situation partly to the failure of Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators to meet their obligations in the preceding weeks.
The governor also said waste compaction activities were ongoing at the Olusosun and Solous 3 dumpsites, adding that completing the exercise would facilitate faster evacuation.
He explained that recent fire incidents at the dumpsites had slowed operations but said work had resumed, with contractors working to clear the sites for daily waste disposal.
According to him, completing the projects would enable each dumpsite to receive about 450 trucks of municipal waste daily, effectively doubling the capacity of PSP operators.
Refuse Accumulation Persists Across Communities
Despite the interventions, residents have continued to report refuse accumulation in several parts of Lagos, including Mushin, Egbeda, Surulere, Ajegunle, Ikorodu, Ojo, Obalende, Apapa and Mile 2.
The situation has prompted repeated complaints about decomposing waste along streets, road medians, major highways and drainage channels.
A source familiar with the matter said the governor was dissatisfied that the situation had not improved despite his earlier directives.
“The governor was upset when he observed that the situation had not improved despite his clear directive,” the source said.
The source added that Gbadegesin was reportedly appealing for more time and seeking the intervention of prominent individuals.
In a weekly update on waste management posted on his X handle on Saturday, however, Gbadegesin reported progress in clearing some affected areas and sustaining collection services on selected routes.
He said Mile 2 had been cleared, with routine collection sustained, while three additional trucks had been deployed to Doyin-Orile and its environs.
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“11 of the 15 routes in this week’s programme now have field updates,” he wrote.
According to the update, daily waste collection had been maintained on Ijesha Road and Itire-Ikate, while Bucknor-Ijegun had been cleared and placed on a three-times-weekly collection schedule.
He also said Okeira and Oluodo had been placed under LAWMA’s interim service following the termination of their PSP arrangements, while collection continued at Ogolonto and Igbokusu.
Obalende, he added, had been cleared, provided with a waste bin and placed under surveillance, while clearance operations continued at Iraye.
Gbadegesin identified Apapa, Abesan Estate, Idimu-Ejigbo Road and the Isheri-Igando corridor as the four routes awaiting field updates.
“The objective is to progress from clearance to sustained collection and prevention of recurrence, not simply remove visible waste,” he said.
Gbadegesin was reappointed to head LAWMA by Sanwo-Olu following the governor’s re-election.
Meet the Reported Successor
Dr. Hassan A. Sanuth holds a PhD in Environmental Microbiology and a master’s degree in Microbiology from the University of Ibadan.
His research interests include epidemiology, biodegradation and bioremediation, and environmental monitoring.
He also holds certificates in Environmental Monitoring and Modelling from the Institute for Water Education in Delft, the Netherlands, and Multilevel Water Governance from The Hague Academy for Local Governance.
Sanuth has more than 23 years of public service experience and has worked in various environmental management and protection departments, including pollution control, billing and monitoring, conservation, and ecology.
He also served as Nigeria’s focal point for environment under the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation-sponsored Collaborative Action for Sustainable Tourism programme in sub-Saharan Africa.
Sanuth is a member of the Science Association of Nigeria, Nigeria Environmental Society and American Society for Microbiology, as well as an associate of the Nigerian Institute of Management.
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