1HE GUARDIAN, Monday;
THE ENVIRONMENT 149
June 27, 20U
Lagos waste managers unfold N7b equipment investment plan ~ste Mana~Bm~ni By fund, ALao
A FTEII. the Initial hiccups I1..t hat cha ra cu:ristd th e launch o f th t privatt wastt collection syste m in the cil}' of Lagos, [ht wastt managers havt unfolded pla ns an InveSlmtOl of N7 billion for the p rocurement of 600 new comp.lClors, which will tnsu rl! dfectivl! ilOd sustainable wasIl' managl!ml!nt [n metropoliS. This tqui pmt:n l was designed for IfIe natu re of wastes being generatl!d In an envlronmtm like Lagos. Request fo r new compactors was Informed by the need to remove from road, opened tru cks tha t have bet:Ome old and 10 rep lace them with modern and specia lised compactors flued with skips and roll-on·roll· off mechanism. The Introduction of th e new compactor, apart from ilS tfnclent prrformance, would also removr the len· den cy of waSil'S spilled on the road· a sil ua lion that is prevaltnt with Ih t use of open trucks. Besides, many of the trucks heing, were said to be ageing, and thus, brtaking down on th e road wilh the lendtney o f crtating traffic lam on the highways. Speaking at the commis· sioning of 100 compactors by the Lagos Govern or, Mr. Babatunde Rajl Fashola last week, tht IISsociation of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWNA), commended th e governo r for comm illing N2.sb to the purchase of t he equipments. Thrgroupaiso ootti:lthJt600 of such compactors would be reqUired to e nsu re sm oo th and tfflcient waste management in the state. The AWNA Presldtnt, Mr. Adegboyega Adepitan, n oted that the Idta of investing on new compactors became imperative. adding that eSlimattd cost of N7El was newed to get 600 of such equipment_
Th. nlW LAWMA ....1.$1. IlUCks
While in the euphoria of N2.5 billion worth of 100 new compactors provided by the government through bank loan, waste managers, in partnership with Lagos government say 600 of such equipment worth N7 billion would effectively
address waste matters in the state According to Adep[lan. while It became known that no Nigerian bank was ini~ tlally willing 10 gr.lOt thr loan facililY for fear of high ri sk, which would hamper re covery of such Invest· ment, ~lliook Ih t virt ue o f a respo nsive. responsible and pragmatic government wit Ii dediCilteCl vis ion as exe mplified by Governor Fashola after dut consldera(ion with our association's extcutive Ihat Ihis projen b«amt materialised .
Whllt comme nding th t gove rnor for the gesture, Adepitan, on behalf of the usociallon th e need for a annua~ plan to replace th e o ld and worn-out ones with nl!w o nes so as to improve on th e current perrormance. Speaking on thl! initLluve, the Man.ging Dlrtctor of the lagos Wastl! Manage mtnt Authority' (L'WMA), Mr. Oladi me li Oresanya, highlighted stVtroll challenges that had mll-
Iialed against rht private seelor parlicipation (PSP) Implemtntation in the stat e. Thl! challeng ts include dispersal of wasre on the highways. btcause of the use o f open trucks at th e conceptual stage of the programme, coupll!d with fncessant breakdown o f many of such trucks. -rhe condition of these ltucks, apart from creating namc jam whenever the), brrakdown. th t cost of maintaining them became
enormous~, said Oresanya, adding that when LAWMA eventually took over the responSibility of regulating the I'SP operiltOrs, tllere was a p,aradigm shift that culml· naled to the $ucceuts recording In wasle management in Lagos. He remlnlscenct on how operators sough t financial assiStance from banks and how the money obtained wert utlliled In tIl e procurement of fa irly used and aged compactors with astronomIcal incrtase of malnten,lO ce and low perform · anCI!. "However, with the tnj «tlon o f thtse 100 new I!quipment Into the existing fleel, Lagos Ii going to Witness a renewed vigo ur and per·
formance·. Highlighting the imporranct ofpPp in project dtvelopment, Fashola nOled that the involvement of instJI ution 5uch as Stanbic [STC Bank, the financier of the project, Messrs TATA, the supplier of the equipmtnt, office of Private Public Paniclpat ion (PPP), Min istry of Environment, LAWMA and lht beneficiaries of the tquipment madt the Initiative a success slory. The governor urged the resIdents to ensu re prompt paymtnt of their bills, while also I!njoi ned th tm to e nsure that they observe sanltalion laws and regula~ lions. especiaily. to enSUle that they preservt drainages by ketplllg it clean.
Stakeholders urge action to protect forest reserves -
- .
Cpn~uIVRtlpn ~~ By fundi AIao
T"\.RAST1C action and ahem3Lltive means of livelihood, which must rome wgeml)t is needed If Nigena is [Q ha\'t any chanet of pfO(ecung Its forest resoun:ts .md avoid tht catastrophts of dimate change. envi-
ronme:malistS warn IasI: \veclc..
They spoke at the 20U World EnvironmentDay(WED),Ofgiln\sed by the: lagos government In the Ih~ divisions of the state on the themt: 'forestS; Nature N. Your SeMce'. Sptab:R at the M'nt tndude Prokssor MusUiu Adt Onilude, Professor Toyin Ogundipe, Bada~ Professor La"bodt I'opooia, Pro(tsSQr OIufemi Dada and OK: Bunml OInoseindemL J\ccordlng to thtfll, measures shouJd be geared IOwan! educatingthepubliCon tht need to prolKt !ht forests, constquenctS of ! [$ no~rvation and alternative ways of sustainIng tht rura1 toonomlts and enhanong livelihoods without
",,,i<",,,,,,d.,..mngro..... these musum accOrdlng 10
~akel"5also illClude Ihe intensi6c.a000 of crop iJK(11)'tSlOCk
reducing skin canceR by pro-
resou rcts, forest biological
ment, creating charaCltr and a sense of piace and perfoml-
tional framework", said OniIude. He listed tht challenges; c0nfronting sustilinablt foresl management as low Investment fncome tnp. lnadtquacy of rurrent systtm of nadonal according (SNA) to capture the tOGlI economic value (TIV) of the i:or5. am~ CM'nership Structurt of tht fortsl resourcewhich,cornblntd with Olher chanctetisIXs hiM:! made
The stakeholders at the world environment day celebration organised by viding Shade from harmful di\.-enit~ forest heailh and vim uitliHioIet radiation, reducing I~ procIutth~ functions of foc· Lagos government, provide templates by which citizens can achieve stress and Illness by providing est re5OUrns, PllXective fune· bountiful benefits associated with the preselVation and sustenance of psychological refreShment and oons of fon!Sl resources. s0cioa sense 01 well betng through economic functiom of I'orests the urban forests. softening [he buill tnvtron- and [egal. policy and Inslituagnrulrure agro-foresny, improvements in energy r lfi-
dm<y. imp"""", "" .mo."", of wOod haJVesting and proc~ing
and also substitution possibilities, rustalnabll! harvestingoC other foresa: products. domestication for supply of non·wood fortsl products, among others.. F.xpIairung the range oC benefits that wban /O~ pfOlllde, ProfessoR Onlludt IlSIed dlem as enviroruntnt4l. social, teonomic and health and wel1beoingbenefits.. 11)1! envtrol1Jlltntal benefits, h, """ indude, prod","" ""f gen, reducing localised extremes In tempeliltuIcs coolingin thedry seasonand warm· Ing in lheramingseason. 'Thebtnefitsofforemlnclude redUCing tht effects of nash foods as Dt!e canopies inlerttpl rainfu.U, slowing down the path beneath the grOund and acting
as c:aIbon stille: Onilude said.
Social benefits of fo~ he added comprist the provision of amen.il)t aesthetic value and
historical continuil}t providl
habitats for a broad range ~
,,",,m, "'"""'" """""" susons with Iei1"" changts -aniJ
noral displays, symbolizing community focal point and that contan with narure In many communities may be limited [Q local ~ and green areas fornotidng natural cycles, seasons, sounds. animlls and plant. He condudtd that the increasing treedenslty(optimal 53 D1.'ts ptr am) and decreasing undtrsorydtnsity art: ass0ciated wllh positive pen:ep-
""", On 1heeconomic fronl, he said:
Ihe presenct of tret:S can Inmast tht valut of residential and commercial property by 5.18 perttnl, Itl'roYiding a suit· able SOUiU 0 graded timber, mulch and charmal prtMding
a sustainable SOUfCr of fire-wood as bio-fuel and whtn planted suate2icall~ they can reduce rossil IUd I!misslon by reducing fuel COSts for heating and cooung buUdings". Apiln from theabovt,the pr0fesSor said community Ul.'eS and fon.'Sts prtJVlde a bUsinesS gmtrating and a positive real tstate lRI'lSiICtion appearanct anda~heR..
Urban forem he added, also ~5ed property values, tax revenll!5, Income IeYels, Caster re.al tstate Qlcs rumover rales, shon er unoccupird periods, increased rtaUianent of buyers, inrnastd jobs. worker productMl~ and Increased numbtr of customers M 't all been linked [Q tree and landscapt presence and that tree ameruty Values are a pan oC real estate
p-
"'Ille beneflu of fOr5S In tht area of human and anifOills healthand~ingarethatlt
""'-More than thaI, stressed indi-
lIIduals reruptrate faster when vitwing me filJed images and thaI hOspital patimts with natur.lI views from thtlr rooms had significantly shoner SCI}: less pain medklne reqUired, and ft\vef post oper-IIM c0mplica tions, whllt psychiatric patients are JllOfe sOCiable and
\'ilIut Qpture
"" are """'" visible "TIm and immtdlately ""'" "'""" present", reasoned tllilt prison tI1ITl.1(ts also sought Itss health care if they had a viewof a green
""""'re is a geneJai COJ1$('OSUS ttwl ~It
"~ must learn
how to sustain our environmental resoUCCts Including forest so lhat they continue [0 pn:Mde benefits kir the people and other living things on our planet. It is characterised by seven tltments, including tht: txt.ent of forest
dlffiruIt. poYeIt)'
and Ignoranct', incn'aSing and uncontrolled cOllS umpt'lon, unsustailYblt agricultural pri1Ctices, weak lawsand regulations and enfora:menL ~ing otherenvironmental (halltoges, Oniludt hidlUghrtd thal,there is the need"to reduce carbon dioxide - the main green house gas- filler, absorb and reducr poIlutallls. sulphur-dioxlde, carbon monoxkle, nirrogen-dioxlde dust particulate and noise.