LAWMA MD, Mr. Gbadegesin
…Enjoins Other Markets to Learn Market Sanitation Strategies from ASPMDA
President of the largest motor spare parts market in Africa, the Auto Spare Parts & Machinery Dealers Association (ASPMDA), Lagos International trade fair complex, Hon. Ngozi Emechebe has given insights on why the market was singled out and applauded at a recent sensitization workshop organized by the Lagos Waste Management Agency (LAWMA).
Giving the explanation in an interview with media executives in his office recently, he said “I feel fulfilled because when we came into office, we sat down with LAWMA and they advised us on how best to manage our waste which we never deviated from till today and the advice is still working for us. The secret is that we have continued that way LAWMA guided us from day one of this administration in ASPMDA.
Another secret is that ASPMDA never stopped evacuation our waste every week in partnership with LAWMA’s PSP.
Continuing, he added that “Yes, sometimes even 2 or 3 times in a week we pay heavily, it is not easy but we are happy that the Lagos State government has recognized us.
On his advice to other markets. Hon. Emechebe said “My advice to them, is that cleanliness is next to Godliness. They should be up and doing in weekly waste collection and disposal in partnership with LAWMA PSP operators according to the law, and educate their members on the need for a cleaner environment, so that all kinds of diseases cannot just break out in their premises”.
Also speaking with Business Hilights, the First Vice President of ASPMDA, Chief Livinus Adili, who led the market delegation to the LAWMA workshop gave a download of how ASPMDA was recognized.
According to him, “What happened was that at the event, you know it was an interactive session directed towards cleaning up Lagos, so at that interactive session the head of Lagos Markets Waste Services in LAWMA, Mrs. Aderonke Akpena applauded ASPMDA for religiously following laid down rules in market waste generation and disposal.
“In fact, she used ASPMDA as a yardstick to tell other markets and plazas that they should have a cleaner environment. She made it clear that ASPMDA has done well in driving market cleanliness. It was at that point that he craved the indulgence of the organizers to call up ASPMDA to applaud us for our seriousness in waste management.
She made it further clear that if ASPMDA can do it, they too can also do it better.
L-R: Tresurer, VP, President, Fin. Sec and Gen. Sec
Before our emergence of Hon. Emechebe administration, our waste depot was as high as a storey building, but we reduced it to ground zero. Otherwise, ASPMDA used to have a huge refuge, but my leadership cleared it, we took it upon ourselves to ensure that we clean that place and evacuated to whole thing, so at point she said that if we can do it as ASPMDA, then they too can also do it and what really matters is the starting point of any activity.
Chief Adili added that “I was happy being the first vice president of ASPMDA to lead such a delegation to the interactive session where my market was praised by a government agency; it really raises my shoulders high, so that’s exactly what transpired on how ASPMDA came to the limelight at the LAWMA interactive session recently.
