Lagos State plans to deploy waste marshals across strategic locations to strengthen community-level monitoring and enforcement against indiscriminate waste disposal.

The initiative was proposed during a meeting between the Managing Director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Muyiwa Gbadegesin, and officials of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The proposal was reiterated during the presentation of the LAWMA boss’s portrait by the Head of the Lagos Office of NAN, Ifeyinwa Omowole, on Tuesday.

The proposal followed concerns over the activities of scavengers and residents who dump waste indiscriminately on roads, bridges, drainage channels and other public infrastructure.

The waste marshals are expected to complement existing environmental enforcement agencies by monitoring designated areas, reporting violations and discouraging indiscriminate waste disposal.

Ms Omowole said the initiative was necessary because government agencies could not be everywhere at the same time.

“There’s no more time than this because you can’t be everywhere,” Ms Omowole said.

She urged LAWMA to establish the marshals in strategic locations across the metropolis to strengthen community participation in environmental monitoring and enforcement.

According to her, the marshals can serve as community-based environmental ambassadors who will help to identify offenders and discourage irresponsible waste disposal.

She recalled an incident in which some persons were allegedly seen removing materials around a bridge, warning that such activities could undermine critical infrastructure.

“Sometimes I see myself telling people on my street or in my community, ‘Why are you dropping this here?’” she said.

Ms Omowole commended LAWMA’s efforts and urged the authority to sustain engagement with the media as it implements its waste management programmes.

On his part, Mr Gbadegesin welcomed the suggestion, saying the initiative was already among the measures being considered by the authority.

He said the proposal could be developed quickly, with a possible launch before the end of August, subject to necessary planning and arrangements.

The LAWMA boss also acknowledged the importance of involving the media in creating public awareness and giving the initiative maximum visibility.

He urged residents to see themselves as ambassadors of environmental cleanliness by challenging irresponsible waste disposal practices within their communities.

Mr Gbadegesin said environmental responsibility should not be left entirely to government agencies, stressing that residents also had a role to play in keeping communities clean.

He said community participation would strengthen enforcement and encourage residents to take ownership of their environment.

He added that the initiative was expected to support existing enforcement efforts by agencies responsible for environmental sanitation in Lagos.

The meeting also provided an opportunity to reaffirm the partnership between LAWMA and NAN in promoting public awareness on waste management and environmental sustainability.

Mr Gbadegesin expressed appreciation for NAN’s continued partnership and use of its news services, noting the importance of effective communication in reaching residents with environmental messages.

Both stakeholders noted that public enlightenment remained critical because enforcement alone could not permanently solve the problem of indiscriminate waste disposal.

They advocated a combination of enforcement, community participation, public education and efficient waste collection to achieve sustainable environmental management.

The proposed initiative is coming amid intensified enforcement by LAWMA and other environmental agencies against indiscriminate dumping, scavenging and related environmental infractions.

LAWMA recently reported the arrest of persons in different parts of Lagos for indiscriminate waste disposal, scavenging and other environmental offences during surveillance operations.

The authority also secured convictions against environmental offenders arrested for illegal dumping, underscoring the increasing emphasis on enforcement.

(NAN)