Ogun Waste Management Agency Launches 24-Hour Cleanup Ahead of Gateway Games

The Ogun State Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA) has launched a special 24-hour waste management operation in preparation for the 22nd National Sports Festival, known as the Gateway Games 2024, which is set to commence on Friday.

The operation, which will run throughout the duration of the festival, aims to maintain a clean, healthy, and safe environment as Ogun State anticipates an influx of athletes, officials, visitors, and tourists for the biennial sporting event.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Special Adviser on OGWAMA, Abayomi Hunye, confirmed that all personnel and machinery of the authority have been mobilised for the exercise. He noted that the operation is designed to prevent environmental challenges and ensure that the state remains spotless before, during, and after the festival.

Hunye explained, “To achieve this, day and night operations for twenty-four hours daily have begun with the aim of mopping up all wastes from every part of the state as well as desilting of all road verges for a cleaner environment.

“All Waste Private Sector Participants PSP servicing all communities in the state have been mobilised and have embarked on extra trips to take care of all domestic and public wastes so that there will not be any backlog of waste anywhere in the state.

“The government compactors have also been deployed to complement their efforts. For competition venues spread across the state, arrangements have also been put in place not only to move waste but pick up all refuse that will arise due to human activities while sweepers are to work in shifts to clean the venues. The sweepers will also work in shifts to keep clean all the highways, state and street roads statewide”

Abayomi Hunye, the Special Adviser on the Ogun State Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA), also appealed to residents to maintain cleanliness in their environments as they are accustomed to, and to containerise their waste to facilitate easier collection and proper disposal by their Private Sector Participants (PSP).

He reiterated OGWAMA’s commitment to ensuring a clean, healthy, and safe environment throughout the Gateway Games 2024, emphasizing the importance of proper waste management during the event. Hunye also took the opportunity to warmly welcome all athletes, officials, visitors, and tourists to Ogun State, highlighting the state’s history of achievements, including its efforts in waste management.