Lagos Council Chairman Adetola Adunni-Abubakar has suggested a fine of ₦50,000 or up to six months in jail for residents of the Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) who do not maintain a waste bin or drum in front of their homes.
This proposal is part of a new environmental bye-law currently being discussed by the council’s legislative body.
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The amendment was introduced by the Sixth Assembly of Agboyi-Ketu LCDA during its Legislative Week, which included a public hearing with residents, traditional leaders, religious figures, market representatives, and other stakeholders in attendance.
Majority Leader Rahman Ademola explained that the changes are necessary due to inadequacies in the existing environmental regulations. The new legislation aims to enhance environmental sanitation by criminalizing open defecation, improper waste disposal, and requiring households to have waste containers.
He elaborated that public defecation and illegal dumping in unauthorized areas would incur penalties under the proposed law. Additionally, every household will be mandated to have a waste drum or bin placed in front of their property.
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Ademola mentioned that if the bill is enacted and sanctioned by Chairman Adetola Adunni-Abubakar, information about the law will be distributed to police stations, markets, and community groups to ensure residents are well-informed ahead of enforcement.
“There will be no room for ignorance since Agboyi-Ketu has an environmental task force to enforce these regulations,” he stated.
Under the proposed law, households lacking a waste container or residents caught improperly disposing of waste could face a ₦50,000 fine or six months’ imprisonment upon conviction.
Chairman Adetola Adunni-Abubakar highlighted that governance should aim to enhance the quality of life for residents beyond merely building infrastructure.
However, many residents expressed their discontent with the proposal during conversations with Lagos Reporters, deeming it unfair and indicative of poor priorities.
According to Lagos Reporters, One resident pointed out that the council and Lagos State waste management system have not provided adequate infrastructure to justify penalizing residents.
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“They want to incarcerate individuals for not possessing waste bins, yet the council and LAWMA have failed to supply those bins as required by law. Residents pay Private Sector Participants (PSPs) for waste collection services that are often unreliable. Targeting residents instead of addressing these systemic failures is a misallocation of priorities,” the resident stated.
Another opinion expressed that the council is attempting to enforce penalties without first ensuring a functioning waste collection system. “Instead of taking proper steps, the chairman is putting the cart before the horse. Authorities need to guarantee that waste collection operates effectively before imposing fines or jail time,” they asserted.
Some residents further pointed out that accountability should begin with waste management agencies and service providers. “They ought to hold the PSPs, LAWMA, and the council responsible for failing in their duties before taking measures against regular residents. Waste disposal is a shared responsibility, and government entities must also fulfill their roles,” another resident remarked to Lagos Reporters.
The proposed environmental bye-law is still under legislative review and has not yet been enacted.
