A group under the aegis of Concerned Residents of Oshodi, Mafoluku, Shogunle and Ewu-tuntun have kicked against the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding they were not privy to the full details and resumption of work by Excellens Links International Company, a Private Sector Participant operator and one of the franchisees of the Lagos Waste Management Authority.
The community group said the details of the MoU were not made known to them despite being an interested party.
Engr. Babatunde Faleye, the Chairman of OMSE, in a statement made available to The Eagle Online on Sunday said: “We applaud the consistent exceptional service of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), who have worked tirelessly to ensure the hygiene sanity of Oshodi Constituency 1 is superb while maintaining the peace of community altogether.
“The release of intervention trucks and monitoring of the situation has been of first-class status.
“The caution and reprimand of the Waste Managers at our community by the House of Assembly Committee on Environment (Parastatal) and LAWMA resulted in the reversal of the illegal rates to affordable ones now agreed to by the tyrant operators and a host of other reliefs.
“Excellens Links resumed operations immediately after signing a Memorandum of Understanding.
“The MOU (already signed by other parties) was only sighted for the first time by OMSE on Saturday, 20th of April, 2024.
“No draft copy was sent earlier to be perused by OMSE and was not informed/invited to the official signing activity that was said to have taken place on Friday, 19th April, 2024.
“Therein contained on the MOU were part of our demands:
“1. Frequency of Waste Collection – Waste to be collected at a minimum of once per week.
“2. Tariff – No arbitrary increase of Tariff by the PSP Operators henceforth, but jointly with the Ministry, LAWMA, Local Government and community stakeholder groups.
“3. Selective Services – No Selective Services should be embarked on by the PSPs.
“4. Re-enumeration – LAWMA to directly or by use of agents to enumerate and house tag buildings across the state. All under the watchful eye of community stakeholders.
“5. Use of Lagos State Government and LAWMA Logo – The Logo, Seal or Crest of the State Government and LAWMA are henceforth forbidden from use by the PSP Waste Operators on bills, receipts or any form of correspondence.
“6. Enforcement – Power to enforce the law is the prerogative of the State and Local Government. PSPs Operators shall not carry out enforcement of the law.
“Unfortunately, some important issues raised by OMSE’s conditions were omitted on the MOU. Items such as:
“1. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – Repair of schools, community developments, Road repairs, Educational Sponsorships, etc. within the coverage areas and quite a lot of other projects could be done according to capacity.
“2. Illegal increases To Rates Previously Made – Accumulated bills brought about by the illegal increment should be STRUCK OFF; Customers whose waste have been neglected (resulting from selective service) are NOT owing; Customers who continued paying the old rate of N450 DO NOT OWE; Customers who have paid the illegal excessive increase would be REFUNDED by equivalent months of service. This is the only true and just way of correcting and cautioning the dastardly behaviours of the PSPs.
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“3. Probationary Period – The House of Assembly Committee on Environment (Parastatal)’s recommendation that the two (2) erring Operators be put on a 3 Months Probationary Period was also not inputted in the MOU. However, some novel inclusions have now also been made to our conditions in the MOU generated, which are:
“1. Safe Collection and Disposal of Solid Waste – Waste must be safely collected, transported and disposed without harm to the environment.
“2. Vehicles and Equipment – The PSPs shall only use vehicles and equipment approved by the Agency and such vehicle and equipment shall be kept in clean, garaged and well maintained in good working conditions at all times.
“3. Provision of Job Cards/Dockets – PSPs shall ensure to provide the community with a Triplicate Job Card/Docket which shall be signed and counter-signed and serve as proof evidencing service delivery.”