Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has replaced the Managing Director of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, with Olajuwon Akinyemi in an acting capacity, following growing complaints over the accumulation of refuse across the state.
The development is part of a wider restructuring of the agency aimed at addressing operational challenges and improving waste collection and disposal services across Lagos.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, confirmed Akinyemi’s appointment, saying the governor had directed him to assume office immediately.
According to reports, Sanwo-Olu has also appointed Dr Tijani Olorunwa as Acting Director of Operations, while Kunle Adebiyi will retain his position as Executive Director of Finance.
The restructuring reportedly includes the redeployment of senior officers on Salary Grade Levels 13 to 17 to the mainstream state civil service, local governments and local council development areas.
A source quoted by Daily Post said the governor had ordered a comprehensive reorganisation of LAWMA’s leadership and operations to improve service delivery and promote sustainable growth.
However, personnel in the agency’s Legal Department have been exempted from the exercise to avoid disrupting ongoing court cases and concession agreements.
The heads of Landfill Operations, LAWMA Operations and Private Sector Participation Operations will also remain in their positions for an initial 90 days to ensure continuity and allow the new management to stabilise operations.
The leadership change comes amid a persistent waste management crisis, with refuse accumulating along major roads, residential streets and drainage channels in several parts of Lagos, despite the state government’s earlier declaration of an emergency in the sector.
Newsmen had earlier reported that Sanwo-Olu asked Gbadegesin to resign after expressing dissatisfaction with his handling of the crisis, particularly the slow pace of refuse evacuation and alleged delays in implementing the governor’s directives.
The governor’s displeasure reportedly followed an inspection of the Olusosun dumpsite in Ojota, where he was said to have expressed concern over the state of operations and directed immediate intervention.
Sanwo-Olu subsequently met with stakeholders in the waste management sector at the facility, acknowledging delays in refuse collection and blaming some of the challenges on the failure of Private Sector Participation operators to fulfil their obligations.
He also identified fire outbreaks at dumpsites and delays in waste compaction as factors affecting evacuation, while outlining plans to expand the operational capacity of the Olusosun and Solous 3 dumpsites.
Despite the interventions, residents continued to report refuse accumulation in several communities, including Mushin, Ikeja, Iyana Ipaja, Egbeda, Surulere, Ajegunle, Ikorodu, Ojo, Obalende, Apapa and Mile 2.
In a recent update on the agency’s operations, Gbadegesin said additional trucks had been deployed to affected locations, with clearance completed or ongoing along several collection routes.
He identified Mile 2, Doyin-Orile, Ijesha Road, Itire-Ikate, Bucknor-Ijegun and Obalende among areas where interventions had been carried out.
However, he acknowledged that operational updates were still being awaited from Apapa, Abesan Estate, Idimu-Ejigbo Road and the Isheri-Igando corridor.
Gbadegesin was reappointed as LAWMA Managing Director following Sanwo-Olu’s re-election.
The latest restructuring now places the responsibility for resolving Lagos’ waste management challenges on Akinyemi and the new management team, although the state government has yet to announce specific performance targets or timelines for assessing their efforts.
