Sequel to the intervention of waste managers in Lagos popularly known as the PSP operators, the heaps of refuse that littered the city have started disappearing gradually even as Visionscape became overwhelmed.
Recall that when the crisis degenerated whilst the incumbent governor Akinwunmi Ambode appeared incapable to resolve it, a former governor of the state, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu intervened and met with the aggrieved PSP operators with the hope of returning their job back them.
At the meeting with the operators, Tinubu dismissed the speculation in town that he owns Visionscape. The former governor said the incumbent governor never consulted with him before engaging Visionscape. “ I came back from Guinea and I saw Visionscape, the national leader of the APC told the local waster managers.
An acclaimed foreign environmental services firm, Visionscape which was brought by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had been struggling with little success in management of wastes in Lagos which experts say hovers around 33,000 metric ton a day.
The governor had technically sacked the local PSP operators by restricting their operations to only industrial waste clearing, a decision which was vehemently opposed by the operators who had invested billions in developing expertise and capacity in turning garbage clearing into a thriving, profitable industry.
According to them, Governor Ambode’s decision was ill-thought out and capable of affecting their investment in the sector. The aggrieved local operators subsequently withdrew their services to allow Visionscape prove its mettle in handling the onerous task of clearing Lagos garbage. The task that was later proved to be beyond the capability of the Dubai-based firm.
Meanwhile, as the governor recalled the sacked PSP back to their respective territories, COMPLETE NEWS observed refuse spots that dotted the state landscape have started being cleared. The PSPs had resumed their ‘pick at home’ system, which seems to be the winning formula in tackling the menace.
COMPLETE NEWS correspondent who has been monitoring the situation saw PSPs trucks in the hinterland of Baiyeku, Agbede, Ishawo carting heaps of refuse warehoused within the residents’ compound following the abrupt stoppage of services of PSPs by Lagos State Government.
The same overdrive in waste clearing was seen in Mushin, Alimosho, Ikeja, Somolu and other parts of Lagos.
COMPLETE NEWS further gathered that the state government had put a strong monitoring system in place to check disgruntled operators who would want to claim monies when they had not worked. Under the new scheme, refuse carted by each operator is registered when it disposes at the Epe landfill managed by Visionscape .
