Posted by From HAMMED BODUNRIN, Osogbo on
Lagos State Government has described its newly granted US$20m World Bank Grant as an acknowledgement of excellent service delivery in waste management.
Lagos State Government has described its newly granted US$20m World Bank Grant as an acknowledgement of excellent service delivery in waste management. As a result, the government has vowed that the money would be judiciously utilized to tackle its myriad of environmental challenges confronting the state.
Mr. Tunji Bello, Lagos Commissioner for the Environment stated this at the week-end while unfolding the action plans of his ministry this new Year to journalists and other private concerns.
Mr. Bello explained that the state governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu had directed all key ministries and government agencies to ensure that all those laudable dividends of democracy enjoyed by Lagosians in his administration are endured and sustained for better living condition after the regime.
Before granting the loan, the commissioner explained that successive administrations in the state for nine years had tried to secure the loan in which the World Bank body turned down the request for lack of conviction on their environmental policies put in place.
Describing the grant as an acknowledgement of government good policies on solid waste management and drainage services by the body, Bello revealed that top officials of the World Bank recently visited the State and expressed satisfaction on its programmes and policies that have improved the state of the environment than what it was before.
While re-affirming the effectiveness of the adopted PSP Waste Management System, the Commissioner revealed that less than 100 trucks ply the three dumpsites daily between 1999-2003, but today, more than 600 trucks enter and dump refuse at Olusosun alone on daily basis, which is a testimony that we now have a system that is effectively working.
In addition, Bello pointed out that the absence of wastes on roads and streets like before really encouraged the visiting World Bank Officials, while the state now has perfect drainage structure that has drastically reduced incident of flooding.