By Imisioluwa Afunmiso
The recent reintroduction of Saturday environmental sanitation across Lagos aimed at managing waste in the state although praised by citizens and officials weeks into the initiative, several communities complain on the gap between policy intent and the implementation of these initiative, as residents in multiple parts of Lagos continue to suffer from mounting waste, blocked drainage channels, and delayed evacuation services.
Across areas such as Oshodi, Mushin, Ile epo, Bariga, Ajegunle, and parts of the Lagos, residents have continued to complain about the delay evacuation services of the Lagos State waste management authority.
At Oshodi under-bridge and surrounding market corridors, waste piles were observed spilling into pedestrian walkways and drainage channels, restricting movement and raising concerns ahead of heavier rainfall periods. Similar conditions were reported in Agege Pen Cinema axis and parts of Mushin, where stagnant water with solid waste blocked gutters and narrowed road access.
The recurring pattern of delayed evacuation even after the formal restoration of the sanitation exercise has further raised concerns regarding the commitment of government bodies towards the implementation of certain policies.
A market woman in Oshodi described the situation as a cycle that repeats itself.
“Even when we clean on sanitation day exists, the waste will still sit for days after before being attended to so we don’t wait anymore,” she said.
This raises a bigger question about the effectiveness of the reinstated environmental sanitation policy: is it functioning as a coordinated urban hygiene system, or gradually shifting responsibility back to already burdened communities?
Although public participation is important, the current situation risks normalising self managed waste control in a megacity that requires structured, reliable logistics and enforcement.
The continues blocked drainage system, largely caused by plastic waste, sachet nylons, and indiscriminate dumping has continued to intensify flooding risks, especially in low lying settlements already vulnerable during heavy rainfall periods.
Although the officials of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) have previously acknowledged operational constraints, including logistics challenges, traffic congestion affecting refuse trucks, and rising waste volumes across the state continuous complaints regarding the sanitation policy now faces scrutiny over whether enforcement and waste evacuation can match public participation.
Until waste evacuation becomes consistent and reliable, the return of sanitation exercises risks just cleanups without lasting impact.