Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has reportedly appointed Dr. Hassan Sanuth as Managing Director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), replacing Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, who was said to have been asked to resign over persistent waste challenges across the state. State authorities had not officially confirmed the development at press time.
Sources said the governor was unhappy that refuse continues to pile up on major roads, residential streets and drainage channels despite his directives. One source claimed Gbadegesin was asked to resign over the weekend but was seeking more time and the intervention of prominent figures.
The reported change follows the governor’s visit to the Olusosun Dumpsite in Ojota about a month ago, where he described the situation as “embarrassing,” ordered an overhaul of LAWMA’s operations and management, and declared a state of emergency on waste management. He blamed the slow pace of collection partly on Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators failing to meet their obligations, and said ongoing compaction work at the Olusosun and Solous 3 dumpsites would allow each to receive about 450 trucks daily.
Residents still report uncleared refuse in areas including Mushin, Egbeda, Surulere, Ajegunle, Ikorodu, Ojo, Obalende, Apapa and Mile 2.
In a weekly update on X on Saturday, Gbadegesin reported progress, saying Mile 2 and Obalende had been cleared and that 11 of 15 routes in the week’s programme had field updates. Apapa, Abesan Estate, Idimu-Ejigbo Road and the Isheri-Igando corridor were still awaiting updates.
Sanuth, the reported successor, is currently Director of Sanitation Services in the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources. He holds a PhD in Environmental Microbiology from the University of Ibadan and has over 23 years of public service experience in environmental management.
Reacting to the report, Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the appointment was untrue but declined further comment.
Source: Vanguard Newspaper
