Visionscape, Psp Operators Resolve To Work As Partners

In a move to bring relief to Lagosians on the current waste situation, the Visionscape Sanitation Solution and the Waste Collection Operators (WCOs) otherwise known as PSP Operators have agreed to work together as partners to achieve a cleaner, healthier and safer Lagos.

This resolution was reached at a meeting facilitated by the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment, Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti in his Office at Alausa on Thursday.

Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti said that government was interested in easing challenges being experienced in waste management at present by creating synergy between Visionscape Sanitation Solution and the WCOs in their spheres of operation, stressing that resolving the challenge in a mutually beneficial manner was the best approach.

“Government more than ever believes in this partnership and that is why it has not only provided a facility of up to N2.5b with State Government guarantee, which PSP Operators could access to upscale their operations but has also opened another channel through the Employment Trust Fund for loan facilities at reasonable interest rate of not more than 12% per annum”, he said.

The Environment Commissioner stated that the Lagos State Government was determined to remove all bottleneck hindering seamless waste disposal operations, adding that it was making the bold move of targeting a turn-around time of thirty minutes at the dumpsites by encouraging concerned stakeholders to create an additional platform at the sites.

He emphasised that no effort would be spared to return the dump sites to sanity by reducing the menace of indiscriminately parked trucks and scavengers, both of which add to the loss of time at the dumpsites.

The Chief Executive Officer of Visionscape Sanitation Solution, John Irvine, applauded the new found understanding between his company and the Waste Collection Operators and stated that challenges being experienced in domestic waste management in Lagos State had to do with the fact that the domestic waste operator was just in its first cycle of operation, meaning that it must contend with some teething problems.

His words “It is not unusual to face this kind of problems especially in the first cycle of operations. It takes some time to build the superstructures and to ameliorate the present hiccups; we are buying locally and taking steps to have waste container bins manufactured locally”.

Speaking on behalf of the WCOs, Kasumu Afis Olasehinde reiterated their commitment to the success of the Cleaner Lagos Initiative and pledged to roll out more trucks to rid Lagos of Wastes’ black spots.

“To show our total commitment to a cleaner, healthier and safer Lagos,  we have not only resolved to work with the Government of Lagos State and the domestic waste operators as partners, we have also resolved to commence free Operations every Thursdays to mop up black spots in our respective areas”, he emphasised.