Lagos commissioner, Rhodes-Vivour disagree over waste management, flooding

Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, and the 2027 Lagos gubernatorial candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, are at odds over the state government's approach to waste management and flooding. This dispute arose after Rhodes-Vivour criticized Lagos during a recent interview on Channels Television's Politics Today, describing it as "stinking" and questioning the effectiveness of the state's waste management strategy.

Wahab defended the state's efforts, noting that while some of Rhodes-Vivour's concerns were valid, it was misleading to claim that the Lagos State Government had no plan beyond clearing refuse once it accumulated. He pointed out that Lagos generates between 13,000 to 15,000 tonnes of municipal waste daily, with the Lagos Waste Management Authority and private sector operators collecting approximately 418,500 tonnes of waste in May 2026 alone.

This amounts to about 13,200 tonnes daily, underscoring the immense scale of the environmental challenge.

Wahab emphasized that waste management is an interconnected system, with delays at disposal facilities potentially disrupting collection schedules and leading to refuse accumulation in neighborhoods. He highlighted the recent rehabilitation of Road E and the addition of disposal platforms at Olusosun landfill, which have improved operational efficiency.

With truck movements across disposal facilities soaring to 1,866 in a single week and Olusosun landfill trips increasing from 574 to 1,012, Wahab stressed that the state is investing in modern waste management infrastructure, including Modern Transfer Loading Stations, Material Recovery Facilities, recycling, composting, and the Epe waste-to-energy project.

The commissioner also addressed the issue of data collection, stating that a modern waste management system must measure what it manages. Lagos is strengthening property enumeration, geocoded service locations, GPS tracking, weighbridge measurements, and recovery data to improve transparency and accountability. Additionally, the government is reforming the Private Sector Participation system, sanctioning or terminating operators as necessary, and seeking feedback on the effectiveness of the waste management system.

Wahab rejected the notion that the monthly environmental sanitation exercise substitutes for regular waste collection, urging the public to focus on measurable outcomes such as tonnes collected, routes completed, missed collections, complaint resolution, and waste diverted from landfills. He acknowledged that Lagos still has work to do but rejected the suggestion that no action is being taken, emphasizing the investments, infrastructure, and reforms already underway.

Regarding flooding, Wahab acknowledged Rhodes-Vivour's criticisms against the backdrop of Lagos' coastal geography, tidal locks, and the impact of climate change. He noted that the state has invested in drainage infrastructure, pump stations, maintenance, and flood abatement operations, as well as wetland preservation and the removal of structures on floodplains.

These interventions have reportedly reduced flooding incidents by 75 to 80 percent statewide, dismissing claims that flooding is being ignored or that no meaningful progress has been made.