LAWMA Secures Jail Terms For Environmental Offenders
Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has secured jail terms of two months imprisonment for three persons that committed various environmental offenses while awaiting judgment for another person for patronising a cart pusher.
This is coming on the heels of the agency’s collaboration with the police to put a stop to incessant attacks on LAWMA’s personnel, ensuring the prompt arrest of cart pushers and those who still patronise them.
The Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, made the disclosure in his Ijora-Olopa office on Tuesday, noting that the arrangement with the police was aimed at sustaining the renewed offensive on all forms of environmental infractions and unwarranted attacks on the agency’s personnel.
He said: “Last week, we got jail terms for three environmental offenders, with a pending sentence for another person who patronised a cart pusher. It is an offense for anyone to patronise cart pushers. Before now, we had warned unrepentant environmental violators about our renewed offensive against bad practices. We were able to secure jail sentences of a minimum of two months for three such persons, while one is still pending; it will serve as a deterrent to others”.
“I am also happy about LAWMA’s collaboration with the Nigerian Police to end needless attacks on our personnel on day or night duty. That collaboration is also to put an end to cart pushing, as any cart pusher found anywhere in Lagos will be promptly arrested and prosecuted, while those who patronise them will not be spared”, he asserted.
While informing that another set of 600 carts have been destroyed, bringing the total to about 3,000 in the last 10 weeks, Odumboni warned residents against patronising cart pushers as both the cart pusher and the patron are liable for breach of the law.
“We have demolished carts impounded by our enforcement team in the course of their duty. This is to further reinforce our stance that the activities of cart pushers across the Lagos metropolis remain banned. We will not allow anyone or group of persons to undermine the ongoing efforts to establish a sustainable environment”, Odumboni said.
The Managing Director reiterated the Authority’s willingness to absorb willing cart pushers into the waste management system in the State to serve as uptakers of recyclable items, working hand in hand with other stakeholders in the waste management chain.
The CEO explained that the ill effects of cart pushing on the environment and security structure make it compelling to eradicate the practice for preservation of lives and property.
The LAWMA boss reaffirmed the agency’s total commitment to making the metropolis sustainably clean, urging residents to support the Authority’s efforts by shunning improper waste disposal, paying their waste bills and patronising assigned PSP operators.
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