Health
Relief as LAWMA clears weeks-long refuse heaps at Lagos market
Oluwaleke Enoch and Moyinoluwa Oluyemi
Residents, traders and commuters around Oyingbo Market in Yaba, Lagos State, expressed relief on Monday as officials of the Lagos Waste Management Authority began evacuating heaps of refuse that had accumulated in the market for weeks.
PUNCH Metro correspondents observed, during a visit, LAWMA officials loading large volumes of waste into trucks while sanitation workers cleared the dumps that had become a major environmental and public health concern.
The exercise followed weeks of complaints by traders and residents over the overflowing refuse, which had generated offensive odours, attracted flies and hampered commercial activities in one of Lagos’ busiest food markets.
Speaking with PUNCH Metro, a resident, Ige Oluwaseun, said the refuse had remained in the area for about 28 days after the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
“The refuse has been here since after the Ileya festival. Today makes it 28 days that this heap has been here. They packed it before, but the day after Ileya, the refuse started piling up again.
“The dirt is affecting us badly. We cannot breathe properly, and it is affecting our health. Sometimes we even pick the refuse ourselves because we are tired. But we thank God they are here again to clear it. Maybe now we can finally breathe fresh air because we are tired of wearing face masks all the time,” he said.
A commuter, Adewale Ayomide, described the evacuation as long overdue but urged LAWMA to sustain regular waste collection.
“This place has been smelling for weeks, and everybody passing through here has been complaining. We are happy LAWMA has finally come, but they should not stop halfway. If they evacuate the refuse regularly, it won’t accumulate like this again,” he said.
A trader, Lateef Adeleye, said the market had struggled with recurring refuse accumulation for about three months due to irregular evacuation.
“We have been experiencing this for about three months. They come to pack part of it and leave, and then it piles up again. I believe people from other places also dump refuse here.
“I wish the government would provide waste bins for other parts of Yaba instead of everyone bringing their refuse here. LAWMA just needs to be consistent. If they come here every day, it will be much better for this market,” he said.
Another trader, Bisola Gbadamosi, noted that the market’s status as a major food trading hub contributed to the rapid buildup of organic waste.
“LAWMA came here on Saturday too, but after they packed it, the refuse started increasing again because everybody dumps waste here. This is a food market, so the smell is terrible.
“I don’t know whether the place where LAWMA disposes of the waste is already full, but I am happy they are clearing it again,” she said.
A LAWMA truck driver participating in the exercise, Peter Alabi, said additional equipment had been deployed to ensure the refuse was completely cleared.
“We just got here about 30 minutes ago. We come here every day, and another truck is on its way because this one cannot carry all the refuse.
“I don’t know exactly what caused the refuse to pile up. This is a market, so there will always be waste. The information I have is that LAWMA is sending a caterpillar here. They are working in another location, and once they finish there, they will come here to complete the evacuation,” he said.
The evacuation comes amid renewed scrutiny of waste management in Lagos following reports of refuse accumulation in several parts of the state despite ongoing sanitation efforts by LAWMA.
In recent weeks, PUNCH Metro reported similar complaints from residents and traders in areas including Oshodi, where heaps of refuse sparked public health concerns and prompted calls for more consistent waste evacuation.
The Oyingbo exercise is expected to ease environmental concerns in the market, although residents insist sustained and timely waste collection remains the only lasting solution.
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