Long queues of refuse trucks waiting to offload waste, faulty compactors and pay-loaders, and deteriorating infrastructure currently define daily operations at the Olusosun dumpsite in Ojota, Lagos. CHIJIOKE IREMEKA reports that the worsening condition of the sprawling facility, long regarded as Africa’s largest waste disposal site, is hampering efficient waste management and raising environmental and public health concerns for surrounding communities
The Investigation
A familiar sight along the Ojota stretch of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, extending towards the 7Up Bus Stop, is the long queue of refuse compactor trucks waiting to offload their contents at the Olusosun dumpsite in Lagos.
Managed by the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, the facility has become a source of concern for commuters and residents, many of whom have questioned the cause of the persistent congestion, the growing backlog of waste trucks, and the choking stench that hangs heavily in the air and lingers long after one leaves the area.
Some observers attribute the delays to the poor condition of the dumpsite’s access roads, where trucks are frequently trapped in sinking mud due to deteriorating internal routes.
