Lagos developers petition government over waste classification

Lagos real estate developers have asked the state government to intervene in a dispute over how construction materials are classified and charged by the Lagos State Waste Management Authority.

The Association of Real Estate Developers of Lagos State said LAWMA has referred to planks, derricks and other construction materials as construction waste. The group argued that these are recyclable materials used in building, not waste in the ordinary sense.

According to the association, the classification has brought levies and penalties that place an added financial burden on developers and end users. It said the policy is worsening the cost of housing and construction in Lagos.

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We wish to state categorically that these items are recyclable materials used for construction purposes and not waste in the ordinary sense. The misclassification and attendant levies and penalties are imposing undue financial burden on developers and end users, thereby worsening the cost of housing and construction in Lagos.

The petition also challenged LAWMA’s handling of domestic refuse. AREDOLS said major parts of Lagos have been defaced by household waste and that communities are overwhelmed by uncollected refuse. It urged the state assembly to examine LAWMA’s failure to provide effective domestic waste evacuation and to review the agency’s categorisation practices.

The association asked lawmakers to direct LAWMA back to its core responsibility, ensure accountability and improve service delivery in line with the state government’s THEMES+ Agenda. It said urgent legislative action could improve waste management and protect Lagos residents from further hardship.

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It is no longer news that domestic refuse has defaced major parts of Lagos State. Our communities are overwhelmed with uncollected household waste, while LAWMA appears to have neglected its primary statutory responsibility of ensuring timely and effective evacuation of domestic waste.