LAWMA urges traders
The Lagos Waste Management Authority has stepped up cleanup and compliance operations along the Lagos–Badagry Expressway corridor, calling on traders, residents and transport workers to properly dispose of garbage by engaging accredited Private Sector Participation (PSP) waste operators and avoid illegal dumping that undermines sanitation and public health. 
In a statement released on Monday, LAWMA’s Managing Director, Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said the directive came as the authority commenced a bulk evacuation exercise targeting major waste blackspots, part of an ongoing effort to keep Lagos clean and reduce environmental hazards. 
Clean-up operations along key corridor
The exercise began with the clearing of refuse at Alaba Rago and has extended to other congested points including Orile, Doyin, Agric, Barracks Iyana-Iba and Agbara, where piles of waste have long been eyesores and potential health risks to nearby communities. 
Gbadegesin said the clean-ups reflect the government’s commitment to environmental sustainability and strict enforcement of sanitation laws in Africa’s largest city by population. The Managing Director reiterated that LAWMA urges traders, residents to use PSP operators and comply with waste evacuation requirements to avoid penalties under Lagos environmental regulations. 
What PSP operators are and why they matter
Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators are licensed waste collectors engaged by LAWMA to handle daily household, commercial and industrial waste across Lagos State. The programme has been in existence for decades and, according to LAWMA’s official resources, is designed to expand access to waste disposal services while promoting job creation and efficiency in refuse removal. 
PSP operators are assigned specific areas, and residents are matched with designated service providers responsible for regular waste collection. This arrangement seeks to curb indiscriminate dumping, ensure accountability and create predictable waste management routines across neighbourhoods. 
By urging support for licensed operators, LAWMA is trying to reinforce this framework so that waste is collected on schedule and delivered promptly to designated dumpsites. Authorities also argue that consistent use of PSP operators reduces refuse build-up on streets, in drainage channels and on road medians — all of which can block flow during the rainy season and contribute to flooding. 
Why the renewed call now
Despite years of engagement and enforcement, some residents and traders still prefer unregistered collectors known locally as cart pushers, which operate informally and often dump waste in unapproved locations, including canals, open fields and drainages. Critics say this has persisted because of gaps in coverage and occasional delays in waste removal by designated PSP teams. 
But authorities maintain that the integrity of the waste management system depends on adherence to the formal structure, and that LAWMA urges traders, residents to use PSP operators precisely to ensure waste is removed lawfully and efficiently. This is not only a legal prerequisite but a practical one: informal dumping contributes to blocked waterways, disease breeding grounds and worsened traffic visibility on busy corridors. 
https://ogelenews.ng/lawma-urges-traders
Enforcement and compliance strategies
LAWMA’s operations include bulk waste evacuation, heavy-duty carriers, loaders and support teams working on identified blackspots. The exercise is meant not just to clear trash but to send a visible signal that the state is serious about environmental compliance. 
Officials have also begun “show your PSP payment receipt” compliance checks, asking residents and traders to verify that they are using authorised collectors. This is part of a broader compliance campaign to close gaps where unauthorised operators thrive. 
Importantly, enforcement does not simply mean fines; it also means communication and education. LAWMA continues to publish directory information and helplines so that residents can confirm their designated PSP operator’s contact details and report service gaps quickly. 
Public health and urban living
Improper waste disposal has long been linked to public health hazards, especially in urban centres like Lagos where population density amplifies environmental risks. Refuse left in drainage channels attracts vermin, contributes to vector-borne diseases and fuels respiratory problems when burned openly. 
By insisting that LAWMA urges traders, residents to use PSP operators, the authority is also addressing these health risks. Consistent collection and disposal at proper facilities reduce fly breeding, diminish odour, and prevent rubbish from obstructing stormwater infrastructure during the rainy season, when flooding can disrupt life and commerce. 
Social responsibility and community partnership
Gbadegesin’s appeal goes beyond enforcement: it is also framed as civic responsibility. Residents, traders and transport workers are encouraged to see waste management as a shared obligation, not only a government function. This call echoes earlier LAWMA campaigns that emphasised general cleanliness and compliance to prevent citrus health emergencies and environmental degradation. 
Community leaders and associations are being asked to partner with PSP operators and help spread awareness on responsible waste disposal practices. The idea is that when communities internalise sanitation norms, compliance becomes voluntary and sustainable. 
Avoiding the “cart pusher” dilemma
One ongoing challenge is the preference some residents express for informal waste collectors who sometimes arrive more frequently than formal PSP operators, especially in areas where city-wide service is still catching up. But authorities insist this short-term convenience comes at long-term cost: informal dumping undermines engines of urban governance and amplifies environmental degradation. 
This tension illustrates why LAWMA urges traders, residents to use PSP operators is more than a slogan. It is an attempt to entrench a sustainable waste management culture supported by law, backed by enforcement and strengthened by community buy-in.
What the future holds
Lagos is also planning further reforms of the waste management system — including infrastructure upgrades, improved logistics and potential sanctioning of non-performing operators — to create a more responsive and resilient waste disposal network. 
For now, the directive remains clear and persistent: residents and traders must use their assigned PSP operators and avoid unauthorised dumping of refuse. This is not only about complying with regulation — it’s about shaping the everyday reality of living in one of Africa’s megacities.
https://punchng.com/lawma-urges-traders-residents-to-use-psp-operators
