Diesel: Lagos jails 83 over waste disposal, to hike tariff by 50%

Lagos State government plans to hike waste disposal tariff by 50 per cent from September following the rising cost of diesel and other challenges impeding the operations of waste collectors.

 The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Ibrahim Odumboni, disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Lagos on Wednesday.

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He noted that the number of trucks operating in the state had increased from 627 to over 1,100 with 150 operated by LAWMA.

As part of efforts to meet up with changing demands such as the rising cost of diesel and the demands for clean energy, he said the agency had commenced processes of dual fuel system for trucks, disclosing that two trucks had already been converted to dual fuel system with 50 per cent diesel and 50 per cent gas for efficiency.

Also, to keep the operators afloat, he revealed that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had concluded an arrangement to make fuel subsidy available for operators, which according to him, was aimed to cushion the impacts of the high cost of diesel.   

Commenting on indiscriminate waste disposal, Odumboni disclosed that 83 persons had been convicted and jailed with over 3,000 fined while over 1,200 asked to do community services.