Lagos to continue stinking pending final resolution of crisis trailing CLI, PSP coys
Even before the yuletide season till now, smart observers of daily level of cleanliness in Lagos State would have noticed growing filthiness in every corner, suggesting that all is not well in the area of waste collection and management.
Since the sudden change in waste management tactics in the state following the naming of Visionscape Group as the sole manager of Lagos wastes, erstwhile dislodgers’, popularly referred to as the Private Sector Participation (PSP) Operators had gone to court to contest what can be translated to mean their sack.
Whereas the matter lasted before a Lagos High Court in Igbosere on the implementation of the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI) which technically removed PSP from business they have over the years invested much in, the entire Lagos Environment ran amok in piling of wastes everywhere.
However, respite seems underway as on Wednesday, January 17, 2018, the Lagos State Government and operators of PSP, agreed to amicably resolve dispute using out of court settlement.
However, checks by Business Hilights show that it is not yet clear if part of the terms being crafted will mean that PSP operators will be integrated into the CLI deal sealed exclusively between LASG and Visionscape Group.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to January 29, 2018 for final terms of settlement.
Business Hilights gathered that when the case came up again on Wednesday before Justice Oyekan Abdullahi, counsel to the PSP operators, Tosin Adesioye, from the Chambers of Ebun Adegboruwa & Co, told the court that parties had made substantial progress on the discussion to settle the matter and therefore applied for two more weeks to be granted to the parties to perfect the terms of settlement.
In his reaction, counsel to the State Government, Mr Saheed Quadri, affirmed the position of the counsel to the PSP operators, saying that it was true that parties had met severally.
Quadri, the Director of Civil Litigation in the State’s Ministry of Justice, said it was gratifying to report back to the court that settlement had reached an appreciable stage, and asked for a short adjournment for parties to conclude on the amicable resolution.
While ruling on the presentation, Justice Abdullahi commended the lawyers to the parties for their individual and collective efforts to amicably resolve the matter, saying that it was obvious that substantial progress had been made.
He said “I want to commend all the counsel in this matter for their individual and collective efforts. I can confirm seeing the progress made so far and I want to appreciate all the parties involved in the settlement process. It is my hope that the team of legal minds in this suit will be in touch with one another”.
However, whereas parties continue to work on acceptable settlement terms, skeletal services which translate to poor environmental condition continue in parts of the state.
