Page 68 - The World About Us

Keke maruwas
2.2.4

How is transport and waste disposal organised?

Transport in Lagos fig.187 Another day, another ‘go slow’. journey mes reduced by 40% and
wai ng mes by 35%.
Transport is a major issue in Lagos The first of the integrated rail lines,
with its roads clogged with vehicles in the 27.5km 'Blue Line' from Okokomaiko
jams called ‘go slows’. Conges on wastes to Marina, was due to open in 2017, five
me, results in increased air pollu on, years behind schedule. The line is
greater wear and tear on vehicles and expected to carry 700,000 passengers
higher fuel bills. Poor roads result in every day when fully opera onal. The
breakdowns and even more traffic jams
the plan envisages mul ple methods to next lines will be commissioned as
In addi on to private cars, Lagos' move people around the megacity. Seven funding becomes available.
streets have been clogged with ‘okadas’ new train lines will func on alongside 14 The transport plan also envisages
(motorcycle taxis), ‘molues’ (44 seat Bus Rapid Transit routes, 21 waterway expanding the number of routes and the
buses), ‘danfos’ (18 seat buses), ‘keke routes, 3 cable cars lines and a monorail. frequency of ferries around Lagos
maruwas’ (motorised tricycles) and taxis. Over the last few years the state has Lagoon and its islands.
In 2015, there were 1,332 reported banned or restricted tradi onal modes
deaths in road traffic accidents. A $275 million cable car network
of transport, including okadas, molues connec ng Lagos and Victoria Islands
Lagos has responded with an and keke maruwas. These decisions have with the mainland was due to open in
ambi ous thirty year plan for an Inter- o en been described as 'an -poor', as it 2017. The cable cars are expected to
Modal Transporta on System. Rather was the poorest who relied most upon carry 200,000 passengers each day.
than rely on a single transport solu on, these methods of transport.
Expanding the Bus Rapid Transit
system, Lagos BRT, is based on the
successful 'Mile 12 - CMS' pilot scheme
which stretches 22km north from Lagos
Island. 220 dedicated blue buses run for
16 hours a day, carrying more than
220,000 passengers. In its first five years
of opera on the BRT carried 400 million
passengers. The dedicated bus lanes saw
fig.188 The crowded streets of Lagos. fig.189 Keke maurwas on the move.
Waste and rubbish in Lagos fig.190 Rubbish and waste disposal is a massive issue for Lagos.

Lagos produces an es mated 13,000 tonnes of rubbish each
day: 3,000 tonnes more than New York. Some es mates suggest
that in recent years as much as 3,000 tonnes of this waste went
uncollected every day.
Olushosun Landfill covers an area equivalent to 80 football
pitches and receives 40% of Lagos' waste. When Olushosun was
opened in 1992, it was on the outskirts of the city. Today, 25
years later, it is surrounded with residen al and commercial
suburbs.
agreement states, “Any household iden fied as owning
The dump has been home to over 1,000 people. Most of the structures affected by the project is eligible for rese lement
community make their livelihoods by scavenging for recyclable and compensa on packages.”
and saleable items amongst the rubbish. Alongside the Waste pickers were to be offered re rement payments, if
scavengers there are scrap brokers, as well as those selling food they are over fi y. Others would have the opportunity to move
and other personal services.
to another dump or to be employed directly with the Waste
Despite the hard work of the scavengers less than 10% of Management Authority.
Lagos' waste is recycled. With 50% being organic waste, Lagos’ Plans to generate biogas from the vast quan es of organic
dumps are a vast source of the greenhouse gas, methane.
waste produced in Lagos have been discussed for many years,
In 2017, the Lagos State government awarded a ten year but this poten al resource is s ll vastly under-used.
waste collec on and disposal contract to Visionscape. The Electricity supply is far from guaranteed in Lagos and may be
environmental services company has been tasked with available for less than 8 hours each day. Many people rely on
improving the collec on and disposal of Lagos’ waste. The small generators. Now small-scale biogas electricity generators
Olushosun landfill is scheduled for closure and a new engineered are being piloted in some parts of the city, fuelled with rubbish
sanita on site to be constructed. The contract will be funded out collected from local homes.
of a $200 million loan from the World Bank. Part of the loan

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Cities have distinct challenges and ways of life, influenced by its people and culture.