Lagos Assembly Ratifies Report On Waste Improvement Programme

Lagos State House of Assembly has ratified the report of its four-man ad-hoc committee on the proposed concession agreement between the state government and Zoomlion Nigeria Limited, as well as the issuance of an Irrevocable Standing Payment Order (ISPO) linked to the state’s Waste Improvement Programme.

The committee, constituted under the leadership of speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, was mandated to review the public-private partnership arrangement designed to improve solid waste processing, disposal and management in the state.

Presenting the report during plenary yesterday, its chairman, Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu, said the committee carried out a detailed clause-by-clause review of the agreement and made wide-ranging recommendations before legislative approval

He stated that the concession should only be ratified with strict legal safeguards, including provisions to address ambiguities and discrepancies and full reference to Lagos State laws throughout the agreement, adding that any future expansion in scope, facilities or waste coverage must receive prior notification and approval of the House.

The committee also recommended periodic environmental and social impact assessments with clear greenhouse gas reduction targets and timelines included in the concession framework.

On land allocation, lawmakers insisted that the size and location of any state land granted to the concessionaire must be explicitly stated, while broad land-use provisions should be redrafted.

They further stressed that waste collection and transportation must remain the responsibility of existing Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators, while Zoomlion’s role should focus on transferring waste from designated transfer stations to recovery facilities.

Other recommendations included: stronger workers’ health and safety protections in line with international best practices, broader revenue accountability and tighter monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure adequate state oversight.

Regarding the financial structure, the committee raised concerns about the proposed ISPO arrangement and recommended limiting payment obligations to 7 years rather than creating automatic liabilities beyond the concession period.

While urging the executive arm to explore alternative funding instruments to reduce pressure on general revenue, it proposed a management fee benchmark of ₦32,000 per tonne, with structured advance payments and monthly obligations spread over five years.