Looming Epidemic: Plight of Lagos residential area with dumpsites next to General hospital, other public, private facilities

For years, residents of LASU-Isheri road, particularly those within the Lanre, Oko Filling, Unity, Alimosho General Hospital, Alhaji Ede Bus Stops have sought the attention of the Lagos State Government for relocation of the dumpsites within the axis; first to sanitize the unusual stench oozing day and night from the dumps, and secondly to avert the outbreak of epidemic.

It is common sight daily to see motorists (commercial and private) and commuters cover their noses with nose masks, handkerchiefs or bare hands as the easiest preventive measures against foul smell from the dumpsites around the aforementioned corridors/bus stops.

During NewsClick Nigeria’s team two-week visit and survey of the area, it was discovered that there are three dumpsites located around a popular hotel called Soluos. Specifically the dumps are within Lanre and Oko Filling bus stops. While the one at Lanre Bus Stop is called Solous 1, the one in-between the two bus stops is called Soluos 2 and the bigger one sited at Oko Filling is referred to as Solous 3. According to residents and business owners in the area, the dumpsites have been a nightmare to their living and day-to-day activities.

NewsClick Nigeria gathered that while one of the three dumpsites, Solous 1 was decommissioned some few years back, it soon resuscitated back to life over poor monitoring by appropriate authorities.

Recall that this medium had earlier reported the menace caused by another dumpsite in the state; Olusosun located in Ojota. According to Wikipedia, the Olusosun dumpsite is a 100-acre dump. It is the largest in Africa, and one of the largest in the world. The site receives up to 10,000 tons of rubbish each day. Waste from around 500 container ships is also delivered to the site with a substantial portion of electronic waste.

Despite earlier promises by the Lagos State Government of closing down the Olusosun and Solous dumpsites, they are still in operation till this day, posing catastrophic health risks to residents.

 

How did a once bobbling residential area turn to dumpsites?

Findings by NewsClick Nigeria revealed that the notorious dumps sited from Lanre to Unity Bus Stops along the LASU-Isheri road was once a solid dry ground housing a number of public and private investments.

Residents confided in NewsClick Nigeria that on the particular dump facing Lanre Bus Stop was a sprawling expanse of land with signpost showing it belonged to the Lagos State Government. However, according to them, things changed around 2009 when a Chinese company, China Gezhouba Group Company (CGGC) encroached on the land.

“The CGGC was the company handling the Isheri-LASU-Iyana-Iba road project. With no clear understanding if they had the State Government’s approval or not, they suddenly swooped on the space with pay-loaders, excavating endless tons of earth for sand-filling portions of the road they were constructing at the time. That singular unchallenged action is what led to our suffering here today. The excavation was so deep that it needed something to cover up the depth. That is partly what led to dumping of refuse as temporary means of filling up the artificial dungeon created by the road contractors,” a resident, Ayomide Ishola, told NewsClick Nigeria.

Another resident who identified himself as Akeem Ayanwale while giving another account of how the environment was degraded explained that the area converted to landfill commonly referred to as “bowler,” was a site where red sand was dug and sold by illegal sand miners about 20 years ago.

“Tippers of different sizes came to load red sand which they used for filling the road and building construction sites. Part of the sand was used in the construction of LASU-Isheri-Iyana-Iba Road. Uncontrolled sand mining led to a serious hole and ditch in the area. Then around 2006 or thereabouts, the government converted the areas to landfill by depositing trucks of refuse in the ditch.

“The heaps of refuse supposedly meant to level the land have now taken mountain shapes and looks like it may fall at any time. You don’t want to imagine the stench we breathe in daily here.

“At the beginning of this rot in 2009, I remember that Community Development and Landlord Associations in the area jointly and separately called the attention of then Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, then Commissioners of Environment, Dr. Muiz Banire, and Health, Dr. Jide Idris but they were roundly ignored. This continued during the immediate past Governor’s (Akinwumi Ambode) tenure and the incumbent Governor (Babajide Sanwo-Olu) is yet to match his words with actions,” he said.

 

Laboratory examination on water, soil, metal samples

For clearer understanding of the situation at hand, NewsClick Nigeria team took samples of water, soil and metals around the dumpsites to a certified private laboratory for examination.

Precisely, samples were taken from the three Solous dumpsites and Alimosho General Hospital in Igando and subjected to different laboratory procedures and examinations for over four weeks.

The result in a layman interpretation posited that landfilling could influence the properties of the soil by increasing the levels of soil pH and organic matter. The result further revealed that landfilling activities significantly contaminated the soil with metals. However, the major public health risk the laboratory procedure revealed was the contamination of groundwater sources of nearby vicinities.

Water sources from all adjourning locations were classified unsatisfactory for human use, going by the World Health Organisation (WHO’s) recommendation.

The quality of the water samples was pronounced substandard due to “presence of a very high Alkalinity, high total hardness, chloride, iron and microbial loads.”

NB: pH is a science term meaning a measure of how acidic or basic a substance or solution is.

 

Collapse of multibillion naira investments

This medium gathered further that on the smelly axis were promising companies that brought life and increased economic activities to both the area and Lagos State at large.

Apart from the sprawling hotels, petrol stations and other worthwhile investments on the corridor, the Lanre axis of the LASU-Isheri road also boasted of Rosellas Amusement Park and the Lagos State Incubation (Employment/Vocational) Centre some years back. NewsClick Nigeria reports that while the Amusement Park has entirely closed shop, the State’s Incubation Centre now houses one of the Solous (3) dumpsites.

Meanwhile, before finally shutting down operations, management of the now defunct Rosellas Amusement Park on several occasions appealed to the Lagos State Government to either decommission the dumpsites or assist the Park relocate to another lucrative environment.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Park, Mr. Ololade Abraham in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) published on December 10, 2017 said: “I need the state government’s support by providing a good location for the park from its present site.”

Ololade in the aforementioned interview said the park may soon close down due to insufficient funds to run it and also stench oozing from the dumpsite closer to it.

He appealed to the Lagos State Government to save his park, stressing that workers employed there and their families would be negatively affected if the park should be closed.

Unknowing to Ololade that his Park would soon join, he listed some parks in the state that had folded up to include: the Leisure Park, Fantasy Land, Family fun and Kid zone.

“All these parks were tourism sites in the city/state when they were functioning. They contributed to the tourism prospects of the state and were providing job opportunities to many youths then.

“Therefore, the LASG should revive these parks and save the existing ones from going into extinction,” he said.

Ololade also appealed to the state government to give incentives like acres of land and soft loans to park operators which they would be paying for on installments.

“Government should also provide park owners with good roads, constant power supply, and other facilities that will make such businesses thrive,” he said.

He said that it was not easy to operate a park, saying it could be “costly, challenging and expensive to maintain.”

“I spend millions of naira on maintenance annually. It is not easy, the government needs to support us,” he said.

Ololade said that he had been in the business since the past 15 years but had not been making profit as expected.

“My passion for park operation still keeps me moving,” Ololade stated in the interview.

 

Lagos Government toying with our lives – Residents

Meanwhile residents of the affected areas around the LASU-Isheri road have expressed displeasure at the Lagos State Government over years of ‘lip services’ to relocation of the dumpsites.

The residents explained that they were tired of ‘teaching’ the State Government the ‘dangers inherent’ in siting a dumpsite in a residential area. They noted that every time the issue is raised, the highest the State Government does is to make a show of it and go silent again till the issue is raised again either in mainstream or social media.

“I must say at this point that we are tired of speaking to the press. We have had them come here in large numbers with cameras and other broadcasting equipment to report our challenges with this dump but nothing ever comes out. Personally, I’ve spoken to over five media houses on this same issue. I’ve written opinions published/aired in reputable media outlets but nothing is working. It is safe at this juncture to assume that the Lagos State Government is playing kite with our lives. If not, what is stopping them from doing the needful concerning this dump? If not for anything, at least for the General Hospital located two bus stops away from here,” a visibly angry resident living at Lanre Bus Stop told NewsClick Nigeria.

Another resident who resides and operates a Point of Sale (POS) services at Oko Filling bus stop said: “I have lived in this area for close to 10 years and these dumpsites, particularly the one there (pointing to the Solous 3 dumpsite) has grown in leaps and bounds. I’ve not been to hell before but I’m sure living there cannot be as bad as we have it here. It is almost becoming a way of life for those of us with no option/means of relocating to a better area. Those who cannot bear the inconveniences are moving in their numbers out of this place,” the POS operator who later identified herself as Arinola said.

On the challenges residents face during the rainy season, she responded: “Our problems become heightened during the rainy seasons. Roads and houses are usually submerged. Sometimes, people are unable to move for days because the flood will be stagnant. Just like people post videos of floods in Lekki and environs, concerned residents here also upload photos and videos of the hard life people are subjected to because of the floods caused majorly by refuse from the dumpsites blocking water channels. We have lost hope of any government intervention, at least for now,” she said.

 

We feel uncomfortable receiving treatments here – Alimosho General Hospital patients

As outlined earlier, the Alimosho General Hospital complex is close to one of the dumpsites on the LASU-Isheri road. The General Hospital, also housing the State’s College of Nursing is touted to be one of the busiest going by the number of patients received daily. However, despite its strategic importance in the locality, the Hospital, its workers and patients are not immune from the oozing stench and other challenges associated with the dumps on the Lanre-Oko Filling axis of the LASU-Isheri road.

“I was admitted here late last year (December, 2022) for treatment and was well attended to by the workers on duty. However, I couldn’t stay long because of the foul smell that I later got to know was coming from some close dumpsites. I came visiting from Ekiti State and do not know that the Hospital is close to a dumpsite. I was discharged before the actual date so I don’t end up contracting another sickness. I have been coming from home for treatment since I got discharged early this year though I feel better now. I think it’s awkward having a hospital (either private or public) close to dumpsites or any dirty environment for that matter,” a patient who identified herself as Mrs. Adejumo said.

A physically challenged patient who does not want his name mentioned said he is a regular patient at the Hospital because he can’t afford private hospitals and also can’t withstand the stress of going to another public hospital far from his house.

“I reside at Lanre Bus Stop and apparently I have no choice but to use this hospital. Yes I am aware and uncomfortable receiving treatment under the disturbing contaminated air but what can I do? As you can see, I am physically challenged and can’t go to a far distance for a service that I can get at my backyard. I also do not have the financial capability for a private hospital. So this explains why I keep coming back here with the hopes that Lagos Government will one day solve the dumpsite issue that is gradually killing this area,” he said.

Dumpsites beside Alimosho General Hospital a slap on Lagos Government – CMD

Dr. Ayodapo Soyinka was posted to the Alimosho General Hospital in the last quarter of 2021. Since his posting, the Chief Medical Director has been appealing to the Lagos State Ministries of Health and Environment to ensure the quick relocation of the dump site near the facility.

”Our number one challenge is this dumpsite beside us, and we are making a passionate plea to the Health Ministry to help us continue to agitate and liaise with the Ministry of Environment to urgently do something about this dumpsite, either to relocate it or convert it to energy.

“The stench is bad, it is a slap on Lagos and we will continue to agitate so that something will be done urgently,” the CMD said at a recent function within the Hospital.

A staff of the hospital who spoke under condition of anonymity told this medium that some patients would never use the hospital because of the dumpsites around. She said patients are sometimes discharged earlier than scheduled to facilitate faster recovery that may be hindered because of the stench.

“We have cases where patients are discharged earlier than scheduled so as to aid faster recovery that stench from the dumps might slow down. If this is the only functional hospital in the whole of Lagos, some patients will either opt for home services or go to private hospitals. The dumpsites are really a source of concern to both staff and management of the hospital and the CMD is not resting on his oars to ensure something is done,” she said.

 

Dumpsites in residential areas reduce quality of lives of residents – Public Health Expert

A public health expert, ‘Bolade Owoeye who spoke with NewsClick Nigeria said situating dumpsites within residential areas is ‘synonymous with intentionally creating breeding grounds and reservoirs for pests and disease pathogens.’ According to him, the quality of lives of residents in such areas will reduce drastically.

“On the cursory level, dumpsites merely create aesthetic nuisances, especially with the putrid odour that emanates from such places. However, having dumpsites close to residential areas is simply synonymous with intentionally creating breeding grounds and reservoirs for pests and disease pathogens. Dumpsites serve as loci of many infectious pathogens and contaminants in the community and the environment. The assortment of wastes found in dumpsites provides adequate food and habitat for disease-causing microbes, rodents and insects, which serve as hosts and vectors of parasites of all kinds of diseases of public health importance. Residential areas with dumpsites are usually plagued by mosquitoes, which are vectors of the malaria parasite, and rats, which are a domestic nuisance and also vectors of Lassa fever and the likes. Leachates from the dumpsites can contaminate drinking water sources in their proximity, making them unsafe for drinking. Generally, dumpsites in residential areas reduce the quality of lives of residents, as they predispose such areas to air, water and soil pollution and increase the risk of disease. In fact, we can extend the impact of dumpsites to influence property values. This is because residential areas with dumpsites are not desirable to real estate clients.”

 

Asked if patients using hospitals close to dumpsites stand risk of contracting other diseases, Owoeye said: “Yes, the presence of dumpsites in residential areas can have serious public health implications. Asides from the fact that the putrid odour and harmful air pollutants emanating from the dumpsites can aggravate respiratory conditions such as asthma, the dumpsites can attract pests such as rats, cockroaches, and mosquitoes, which can spread diseases such as malaria, Lassa fever and dengue fever. Malaria, for example, is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes, which breed in stagnant water found in and around dumpsites. Cholera, a diarrheal disease, is also spread through contaminated water and is often found in areas with poor sanitation and inadequate waste management.

 

Lassa fever, an acute viral haemorrhagic illness, is transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated with urine or faeces of infected rats commonly found in and around dumpsites. Dengue fever, another vector-borne disease, is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes, which breed in areas with stagnant water and poor sanitation.

All it takes is for any of these insects or rodents to find their way into the hospital complex. If the hygiene level and protective barriers and measures against these vectors are not adequate, then there is a high chance that in-patients go back home with diseases as souvenirs from their hospital visit.”

 

Suggesting short and long term solutions to tackling the menace created by dumpsites, Owoeye explained thus: “On a short-term basis, the government can immediately address any health hazards posed by dumpsites in residential areas by providing proper sanitation and waste management services to the affected communities. This can include providing sanitation facilities and pest control measures to prevent the spread of disease. In cases where drinking water sources might have been contaminated, the government can provide access to clean water.

“On a long-term basis, the government can work to implement sustainable waste management systems that prioritize reduction, recycling, and safe disposal of waste. This can include investing in infrastructure for waste segregation, composting, and recycling, as well as implementing regulations on the use and disposal of single-use plastics. Currently, the waste management practices in Lagos are not as adequate as they should be; collection agencies leave waste for too long to litter the roadsides and culverts. These sorts of processes make it easy for disease vectors to breed and must be eliminated. Most importantly, the government should work towards educating the public on proper waste management practices and may provide incentives for individuals and businesses to adopt sustainable waste management practices. The government can also endeavour to prevent the establishment of new dumpsites in residential areas by enforcing zoning laws and regulations on waste management,” he concluded.

How affected residents can seek legal redress for breach of rights – Barrister Abayomi

Shedding light on how residents of the affected corridors can seek legal redress, a lawyer with strong environmental litigation and expertise, Barrister Abayomi Animasaun told NewsClick Nigeria that it is not impossible if the residents are willing to explore available legal channels. He said access to funding and empirical understanding of the extent of damages would make for a good case in court.

“People in that environment have a right; they can approach the court to contest the establishment of a dumpsite in their locality. I am familiar with that route and I know the dump actually started beside one hotel called Solous. I doubt if that is still in existence today. It started like a temporary dump till the government ignored and what it gradually became what it is today. In fact, some people once contacted my firm to handle the case for them but unfortunately, we couldn’t contact the Community Development Association (CDA)/local resident association at that time.

“The rule is that where there is an injury, there must be a remedy. If the residents can show that by the action of the Lagos State Government through those dumpsites they have suffered an injury, then the court will be bound to hear them and give them remedy for the injury they have suffered.

“The new Lagos State rule stipulates about three procedures that must be followed before filing a case. These include; writing the accused (in this case Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) and Lagos State Government), dispute resolution and exhausting alternate dispute resolution channels.”

Animashaun also advocated pursuing the case as a group since the majority of residents are affected. He also advised getting support of the CDAs/local residents associations who, according to him, are most times on the Government’s side.

“It is better to have a class action, because it is not something that affects just an individual, it affects an entire community. So those championing the case must get the buy-in of their community. If the whole community is complaining, then it makes the case easier and gives it more credibility. But, most of these CDAs are almost entirely Government controlled and they will see themselves as an arm of Government and will not want to do anything that will jeopardize their relationship with them, particularly the Executives who probably are the one benefitting from their relationship with Government.  An individual can actually take the legal action but it is usually more challenging,” he explained.

 

When will Lagos Government fulfill promise of decommissioning Solous and other dumpsites?

Officials of Lagos State Health and Environmental Ministries who spoke on condition of anonymity with NewsClick Nigeria affirmed that most of the garbage and sewage collected by private operators, as well as the effluents from industries end up in the lagoons and creeks. Much of the rest is burnt either in numerous illegal open dumps in the city or in the official landfills operated by the Government of which Solous Landfills, Igando, are among.

Investigations by NewsClick Nigeria revealed that the Lagos State Government has made several promises in the past of decommissioning the landfill and refuse dumpsites in the state, particularly those located along the LASU-Isheri road in Igando area of the state without fulfilling it.

A senior official in LAWMA who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not in official capacity to speak for the Agency told this medium that decommissioning of the dumpsites will not exceed this year (2023). According to him, the process has partially started.

“I can assure you that the decommissioning will not exceed this year. In fact, unofficially, we have started the decommissioning. If you care to know, one of the three dumpsites had earlier been decommissioned, though activities are gathering around it again. The decommissioning process has started and if you recently visited the place, you will see our sign posts warning that refuse is no longer tolerated there. It is not something that can be achieved in a day but that axis will be returned to normal this year. That I can assure you,” he said.

In 2017 and 2019 the State Government made public its intention to decommission the site but the promise was never fulfilled.

State commissioners for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi; and the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello in a joint statement on December 31, 2019, said their respective ministries were acutely aware of the dumpsites and the resultant menace it was causing to the environment.

Abayomi said the proximity of the dumpsites to the Alimosho General Hospital, where medical care was being provided, left much to be desired.

“Situating a waste yard right beside a general hospital or in the proximity of a residential community is totally unacceptable, and we acknowledge the health and environmental dangers this dumpsite constitutes to the neighbourhood and particularly, the Alimosho General hospital”, Abayomi said.

He explained that dumpsites, which were located on the outskirts of the metropolis until population expansion, commercial and residential buildings caught up with them, were shut down about five years ago but they were reopened by those who were hired to manage the waste in the last four years before the present administration.

“We are aware that these dumpsites have caused residents of the area so much discomfort and agony over the years. This, coupled with the attendant exposure to environmental hazards which are inimical to attainment of good health, are the reasons why we are taking the bull by the horn to provide a lasting solution to this ugly menace.

“We are decommissioning these sites and restoring serenity in the environment,” Abayomi said.

Bello, while highlighting the plans aimed at finding a lasting solution to the dumpsites and landfills in the axis, disclosed that the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources has mandated the Lagos Waste Management Authority to begin the process of decommissioning of Solous 3 dumpsite, which is the dumpsite close to the Alimosho General Hospital, starting with rehabilitation and improved management of the dumpsite as a critical first step to eventual decommissioning in two to three years.

“The rehabilitation will involve leveling of the refuse, slope stabilization, soil covering, grading as well as rolling and landscaping.

“As part of the rehabilitation, we will also rebuild the drainage and road network within and outside the site.

“These measures will help greatly to control pollution, eliminate rodents’ breeding grounds, prevent landfill gas emission and widen capacity for landfill gas capturing,” Bello explained.

He disclosed that Solous 3 dumpsite will be converted into a Material Recovery Facility and Waste-to-Energy plants that will power the Alimosho General Hospital and the College of Nursing after decommissioning.

Bello said that after the decommissioning, the air around the dumpsite will be fresher and cleaner, stressing that the traffic congestion on the road, occasioned by queues formed by waste collection trucks, would also be eliminated.

“While we apologise for the inconvenience caused, we are hastening our intervention to ensure that the residents of Igando and Alimosho local government area as a whole get to live in an environment optimised for better health and improved quality of life,” Bello added.

Efforts by NewsClick Nigeria to get both commissioners and MD/CEO of LAWMA, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni to speak on latest development as regards decommissioning of the dumpsites were unsuccessful.