Fashola Commissions Simpson Street Transfer Loading Station

Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Lagos State governor, Thursday commissioned the Simpson Transfer Loading Station on Lagos Island and restated the commitment of his administration to fulfilling all electoral promises to the people of Lagos State.
 
The Transfer Loading Station, which has the capacity of storing and treating a minimum 600 metric tonnes of waste per day and 1000 metric tones of waste at full capacity, is the first of a series of such stations to be located across the state to compact wastes into smaller volumes for easier evacuation to dumpsites with fewer trucks.
 
Governor Fashola at the ceremony witnessed by eminent dignitaries, including the First Lady of Lagos State, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, the Oba of Lagos, His Royal Highness Oba Rilwan Akiolu 1, members of the State Executive Council and those of the State House of Assembly among others, said with the other plans lined up by his administration, the state was inching progressively towards its appellation as the Centre of Excellence in terms of cleanliness.
 
 Fashola disclosed that he has also directed that civil works should commence immediately at Marini Transfer Loading Station in Oshodi after which Ogombo Transfer Loading Station would be built.
 
Recalling his explanation to Lagosians during the electioneering campaigns on the problem of solid waste management in the state, Governor Fashola said the construction of transfer loading stations at strategic locations across the state would reduce to the barest minimum the number of trucks that would be required to transfer large quantities of the waste to its final destination thereby reducing their impact on traffic.
 
According to him, the transfer loading stations would also improve the turn-around-time of the truck trips as they would serve as temporary dumpsites where the wastes would be dumped during the day and compacted to smaller volumes and then moved in the night with fewer vehicles when traffic has eased off.
 
“It is no longer news that Lagos, our dear State, is inching progressively towards its appellation as the Centre of Excellence in terms of cleanliness”, the obviously elated Governor declared, adding, “Our City and State have been renewed to centres of best practices and have become what other  cities and States aspire to be”.
 
Explaining further the benefits of the transfer loading station, Governor Fashola said in terms of employment, more than 200 people, including engineers (civil, mechanical and electrical) and artisans of various vocations and labour, worked on the rehabilitation of the facility, while it would employ a minimum of 70 staff upon commencement of operations.
 
  Governor Fashola expressed deep gratitude to the management and staff of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), PSP Operators and street sweepers who, he acknowledged, “toil day and night in pursuit of our objective to keep Lagos clean”, adding, “Of course, we are still on a journey and will not lose focus or rest on our oars”.
 
  In his welcome address,. Ola Oresanya , managing director LAWMA explained that the need to reduce the turn-around-time of solid waste collection trucks in the state to meet the recommended international standard necessitated a survey which, according to him, revealed that Lagos State required 20 Transfer Loading Stations to be strategically located to improve the situation.
 
According to him, “The TLS will also serve as a temporary receptacle/storage for the waste collected during the peak period of the day pending haulage to the final repository by larger capacity Transfer Trailers at night, when vehicular traffic is lighter and more favourable”.