The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has warned against harassment and attacks on its workers.
This warning comes as one of LAWMA’s highway workers (sweeper) was seriously injured with hammer at the Isolo area of the state.
In a statement, LAWMA said that the victim was left with a broken skull when he was attacked by “some unscrupulous elements bent on disrupting the Authority’s ongoing efforts to establish cleaner and healthier environment in the state.”
The victim has since been rushed to hospital for intensive medical care, the statement made known.
Speaking on the incident, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, condemned the act and warned that the attack would not be condoned by the state government.
His words: “One of our highway worker (sweeper) carrying out his lawful duty at Isolo, was attacked with a hammer by a miscreant by name Alao Idris resulting to a broken skull, which required immediate medical attention to salvage the situation.
“This sort of unprovoked attacks will not deter us from rendering our services. However, we are sounding a note of warning to miscreants determined to undermine our efforts, that the state government will not tolerate these dastard acts, as perpetrators will be brought to book,” he said.
The statement also disclosed that the incident happened in the early hours of Tuesday, when the worker was going about his lawful duty of sweeping the street.
It added that one Alao Idris had since been arrested and handed over to the police for interrogation and prosecution, to serve as deterrent to others with similar intentions.
LAWMA, hereby, reiterated its appeal to the public, to treat the highway workers with humaness and refrain from attacking them under whatever guise, as anyone caught doing so would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
Odumboni appealed to residents to support and ensure that essential service providers like LAWMA were allowed to discharge their responsibilities in the state, without any fear of harassment, molestation, and attack, adding that establishing cleanliness in the state was a collective responsibility, requiring all hands to be on deck.
He also admonished the populace to shun all forms of indiscriminate waste disposal, which had attendant negative environmental consequences, such as the blockage of drainage channels, especially as the rainy season drew near.
For contacts with LAWMA, the Public is enjoined to call the following LAWMA tool-free line: 07080601020 and 617.
