LAWMA Academy, the academic arm of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), has received an award as ‘Government Agency of the Year’, at the 3rd edition of Lagos Waste Forum, organised by Statewide Waste and Environmental Education Programme, SWEEP Foundation, at the University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba.
Declaring the event open, wife of the Governor of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs.) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, commended the Foundation for sustaining its environmental advocacy, which began three years ago.
She said: “I attended your inaugural event three years ago and it was so impressive. I am happy you have sustained the good environmental sustainability advocacy work, which has already made you a champion in Surulere area. I challenge you to replicate the good impact in other parts of Lagos State. I am also considering going into full-scale recycling business someday”.
Commenting on the LAWMA Academy Award, the Managing Director/CEO LAWMA, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, represented by the Executive Director, Finance, Mr. Kunle Adebiyi, expressed delight and showered encomiums on the foundation, for recognising the modest contribution of the Academy to environmental education and advocacy.
He noted that the unit was established just over a year ago with the mandate of teaching waste management, as well as environmental care and sustainability to the youths and children.
His words: “We are happy that just over one year in existence, the impact of LAWMA Academy is already being felt. Our intention is to pass knowledge of waste management and environmental sustainability to children and youths, through a well-designed and articulated curriculum. We are happy that it is gradually making an impact and recognition of this has given birth to this award. We thank the SWEEP Foundation for this lasting honour”.
Speaking further, the LAWMA helmsmen enjoined Lagosians to tap the huge economic potential in recycling, and also embrace the twin-bin initiative of the Agency to solve waste management challenges in the Lagos metropolis.
Odumboni said, “LAWMA as an agency saddled with the responsibility of regulating and ensuring proper waste management, through community advocacy has visited over 30 LCDAs, sensitising people on the need to key into recycling by separating their waste at source”.
“All organised Estates have been advised to acquire bins so as to separate organic waste from recyclables before PSPs come for evacuation, and by so doing waste bills will be discounted by 15 per cent”, he added.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Tajudeen Gaji, commended the Foundation for its result-orientated environmental sustainability advocacy, promising that the government would continue to fulfill its own part of the bargain, for a people-friendly environment.
Other prominent speakers at the programme included Mr. Ola Oresanya, a former Managing Director of LAWMA and now the Special Adviser on Environment to Ogun State Governor, who also noted that the recycling space harboured abundant economic potential, urging people to launch in to combat unemployment and pervasive poverty.
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