NGO Debunks Viral Video Portraying Mushin as Overwhelmed by Refuse
For residents of Mushin, Lagos, the sight of refuse on some streets is nothing new. But a viral video recently circulating on social media has painted a picture of a community completely overwhelmed by waste — a claim a local non-governmental organisation says is outdated and misleading.
The Mushin To The World Foundation, an organisation working on community development and environmental advocacy, has dismissed the video, saying it was recorded some time ago and does not reflect the current waste management situation in Mushin Local Government and Odolowu Local Council Development Area.
Founder and Executive Director of the foundation, Mr Tunde Enitan, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.
Enitan said while Mushin, like other densely populated parts of Lagos, still faced waste management challenges, recent interventions had brought visible improvements to several areas.
He particularly credited intensified waste evacuation by the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and the return of monthly environmental sanitation in the state.
“The monthly sanitation has helped a lot because it has exposed major places that have been found to be dirty or clogged with waste in Mushin and Odolowu,” he said.
According to him, LAWMA has increased waste evacuation in the communities, deploying trucks to major roads and inner streets to clear accumulated refuse.
He said enforcement teams had also been stationed at known dumping spots to discourage residents from throwing refuse on road medians and other unauthorised locations.
Enitan said he personally inspected some of the areas on Monday morning, walking from Cappa through Mushin Olosha, and observed what he described as noticeable interventions at locations previously notorious for persistent waste accumulation.
“Starting from GTBank in Olohunsogo down to AP Junction and Moshi Lashi, there have been noticeable interventions.
“There have been task forces at some of these locations, guiding, redirecting and monitoring residents against dumping waste on road median,” he said.
The foundation chief also commended the chairmen of Mushin Local Government and Odolowu LCDA for their efforts to improve environmental sanitation in the communities.
He, however, stressed that the improvements should not create a false sense that the waste problem has been completely solved.
According to him, sustaining a clean Mushin will require residents to take greater responsibility for how and where they dispose of their waste.
He urged residents to stop dumping refuse on road medians, drainage channels and other unauthorised locations, warning that enforcement against indiscriminate dumping had been ongoing for more than a month.
Enitan also appealed to social media users to verify videos and other materials before sharing them, particularly when such content could damage the reputation of a community or government agency.
He said he had also seen the response of the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment to a social media post concerning the waste situation in Mushin, noting that the viral claims did not represent the current situation on the ground.
Beyond waste evacuation, Enitan said the Mushin To The World Foundation was working with LAWMA on environmental sustainability and waste management advocacy.
He said the foundation was also promoting awareness about climate change, environmental sustainability and the potential of turning waste into useful resources.
The organisation, he added, is the convener of the Mushin-Odolowu Climate Change Conference, which seeks to educate residents on climate change and practical ways of protecting their environment.
“The conference is meant to educate people more on the importance of environmental sustainability and what we can gain from turning our waste into wealth.
“We are an NGO in Mushin, and although our efforts are small, we are doing our part to ensure that the narrative around waste management changes,” he said.
Lagos continues to face pressure from its huge and growing population and the enormous volume of waste generated daily.
While government agencies have intensified waste evacuation, enforcement and public sensitisation, environmental experts say residents also have a critical role to play.
Indiscriminate waste disposal can clog drainage channels, worsen flooding, pollute the environment and create risks to public health.
For Mushin residents, therefore, the bigger challenge may not simply be getting yesterday’s refuse off the streets, but ensuring that the same waste does not return tomorrow.
And that, Enitan said, will require both stronger government intervention and a change in residents’ attitude toward waste disposal.
