Oworonshoki Residents Battle Growing Refuse Crisis
By Emmanuel Daniji
What began as an unplanned walk through parts of Oworonshoki on Saturday, December 13, 2025, quickly unfolded into a disturbing picture of environmental neglect that now threatens public health in the densely populated community.
At Olopomeji Bus Stop, directly opposite Alaba Street by the bridge, Echonews observed a man attempting to dump a large volume of refuse from a wheelbarrow by the roadside. He was immediately stopped and instructed to pack up the waste. While the act itself was unlawful, the encounter exposed a deeper and more troubling reality — residents of Oworonshoki appear to have nowhere else to dump their refuse.
Shortly after the incident, two residents approached this reporter in confidence, explaining that the community currently has no designated or accessible refuse collection point. According to them, residents previously relied on an informal arrangement in which refuse was transported to Ferry Community for land reclamation purposes. That option, however, no longer exists.
“With no alternative, refuse is now piling up inside the community,” one of the residents said. “The smell is unbearable, and we are worried about sickness.”
Their fears appear justified. Earlier on Sunday morning, Echonews witnessed another attempted illegal dumping at Olojojo Road Bus Stop. A woman, caught trying to dispose of refuse at dawn, pleaded when confronted, explaining that she had no other option available.
Findings by Echonews so far reveal at least five different illegal refuse dump sites scattered across Oworonshoki. None of these locations are approved Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) dump points. Instead, they have emerged as desperate solutions by residents faced with irregular or completely absent waste evacuation services.
The implications are severe. Accumulated waste, stagnant drainage paths and persistent stench now define parts of the community, raising concerns about possible outbreaks of disease, environmental degradation and a decline in living standards if the situation persists.
Residents who spoke with Echonews expressed frustration but also appealed for understanding, stressing that the illegal dumps were not acts of defiance but survival responses to a broken waste management system.
Environmental observers warn that without urgent intervention, Oworonshoki could face a full-blown public health emergency.
Echonews therefore calls on the Lagos State Government, the Ministry of the Environment, LAWMA and the relevant local government authorities to urgently address the crisis by providing designated refuse collection points, ensuring consistent waste evacuation services, engaging the community through sustained sensitisation, and implementing sustainable waste management solutions.
The people of Oworonshoki deserve a clean, safe and healthy environment. Swift action now will not only restore environmental order but also prevent avoidable health disasters in one of Lagos’ busiest communities.
