Our dream is for Lagos to become world’s cleanest city –Ambode

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has reiterated the commitment of his administration to bequeath the state with a functional, robust and sustainable waste management system that would transform the State into the cleanest city in the world.

Speaking at the Phase One Implementation Launch of Visionscape Sanitation Solutions Limited, an environmental utility group appointed as partner by the state government to implement the new environmental policy encapsulated in the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI), Governor Ambode said his dream all along had always been to positively affect the State as far as waste management is concerned, and that his commitment to follow it through was unwavering.

The governor, represented by the state’s Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Samuel Adejare, said the soft launch of the new waste management policy was a dream comes true, and a demonstrable evidence of what determination and proper planning could bring into fruition.

His words: “Coming here and seeing these fantastically looking vans and trucks of Visionscape that would be used for waste management in the state is inspiring and encouraging. This is just a small bit of what we intend to launch through the CLI in days to come.

“I must say I am one of the happiest persons in the world today because a lot of people thought that this would not be achieved but here we are today launching the first phase.

“I just want to say here that we have always believed in Visionscape and if not, we would not have chosen the consortium to do this for us. We firmly believe in the firm; we are standing by them because we know they can do it and they will do it and make Lagos to be the cleanest city in the world by the grace of God.

“We are very glad and satisfied with the giant strides Visionscape is taking in ensuring that we achieve the aim that we have all sat down to set. I just want to admonish members of staff of the firm that apart from what they would be paid, they should see this as their own contribution to making Lagos what we all want it to be, which is to become the cleanest city in the world.”

Earlier, in his opening remarks, Visionscape’s Executive Director, Mr. Harry Ackerman, said the company was delighted to be part of the journey to make Lagos a clean State, assuring that modern techniques and technologies in waste management would be deployed to provide top class services for the people.

He said: “Our top priority is to ensure that the management and the waste management needs of Lagos are met. We will do this by implementing sustainable long-term solutions that are tailor-made for Lagos specifically.

“We have also developed sound business models, processes and technologies which are a central component of our integrated waste management plan. We are refurbishing, building and upgrading waste management facilities located in different parts of the State. These include engineered sanitary landfills, transfer loading stations, material recovering facilities and multiple maintenance centres,” he added.