The Association of Waste Pickers of Lagos (ASWOL) on Wednesday inaugurated its executives, as the state government signalled poise to make their operation seamless and better recognized with good mileage.
Scores of Waste pickers from different locations across the state who attended the ASWOL maiden educational conference and inauguration of the organisation’s leadership, were duly informed about the Lagos State Waste Management Authority’s ( LAWMA ) plan to help rebrand ASWOL and integrate them in a more beneficial way into the existing waste picking value chain.
Representative of the LAWMA Managing Director Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni at the venue of the conference held at the NERDC Conference hall in Agidingbi Ikeja, Lagos Engineer Akinwunmi Ayobami stated clearly that the authority is ready to bring a new model that will ease their waste picking business.
According to Ayobami in few months’ time LAWMA will put an end to arrest of cart pushers as many of them through ASWOL would have been properly harnessed into the waste management scheme with branded uniforms carts bearing engraved number codes.
“Your contributions as waste pickers cannot be wished away because you play a key role in the diversion of waste from the landfills, so LAWMA is ready to work with ASWOL to organize the business.
“We believe that in everything we do safety is the key so part of what LAWMA have done is to create a standard operating procedure, which is how we want the waste pickers in the informal sector to operate.
“There are many waste pickers busy with sorting of waste and in the process gets exposed to pollution, safety wears like hand glove, nose and face masks are to worn before they can extract the resource from the waste which they need dismantle before getting the value.
“We are in the process incorporating the waste pickers into the Lagos recycling value chain initiative in Lagos State, to create a standard for them in such a way that they will be in uniform so nobody will see them as thieves and thugs. “
ASWOL’s President Mr. Friday Oku earlier in his welcome address hinted that the state government is ready to put an end to cart pushers arrest by June, he enjoin members to fuse into the proposed restructuring which according him will be beneficial for all members.
Oku emphasized that waste pickers are plastic and recycling value chain actors while giving a trajectory of how the association was conceived out of selfless thirst to attract available benefits for all during the COVID era in 2020.
He said that the year’s theme for waste pickers is ‘Recycling without waste picker is garbage’ in his view value chain of waste management will not be complete without them.
Co-founder Rethinking city an advocacy group on urban development Mr. Deji Akinpelu in a chat with newsmen noted that the government is geared towards evolving a semi formalized informal waste pickers.
Akinpelu was more passionate in his thoughts about how best to ensure operators are not shortchanged in the proposed scheme, citing the likely eventualities.
“It’s been what civil societies have been clamouring for is that government finds an avenue or way to incorporate this people because they pretty account for the largest amount of the daily activities in the sector, they cannot be ignored.
“If you really want to go far in waste picking in the city of Lagos, you cannot ignore the informal waste pickers.”
He however, stated the need to track government’s level of commitment in a way that it will further contribute to the ease of doing business for the waste pickers and not a burden.
“Entrance, registration, permit and the likes should be seamless if possible not attracting any fee and the recommendation coming with basic social protection plans; like health insurance and much more which can be provided by other stakeholders who benefits from the system.”
In his view companies that generates all the major drainage pollutants bulk of which are rid off the drains, by waste pickers ought to be made responsible for the recollection in a beneficial manner for the collectors (waste pickers).
“Take for instance plastic producers have a responsibility of supporting this groups of people in this regards.
Much more funds are coming into Nigeria from the waste management sector, UNEDO is investing and trying to do a programme here in Nigeria , the waste pickers shouldn’t be elect behind.” Akinpelu said.
Mrs. Toyin Adeniran Lead Advisor Lagos for GIZ, a German company evolving environmental friendly atmosphere, in her goodwill message commended the collaborative mien of the government while charging ASWOL never to relent in her resolve to aid the evolution of a better environment fit for all to thrive.
One of the resource persons at the conference who delivered a lecture on a topic ¬-Principles of Organization, Mr. Gbenga Komolafe the General Secretary of the Federation of Informal Workers of Nigeria (FIWON) touched on how best to ensure social protection of ASWOL members.
While charging them to increase their membership drive Komolafe counsels that the potentials in the numbers are huge.
Folashade Adeboyejo a Marine Ecologist who work with Green Up Africa Foundation, spoke about ensuring safety of waste pickers are well taken care of while they go about their daily activities.
She stated that given the hazardous environment where they work Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)must be put in place.