By Onaolapo olalekan oduola
…State Government Confirms Leadership Change
…Senior Officers Redeployed in Sweeping Administrative Reorganisation
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has appointed Olajuwon Mautin Akinyemi as Acting Managing Director of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), replacing Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin in a major restructuring of the agency.
The development was confirmed by the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, who disclosed that Akinyemi had been directed to assume office with immediate effect.
The appointment forms part of a comprehensive administrative reorganisation of LAWMA, which also saw Dr Tijani Olorunwa named Acting Director of Operations, while Mr Kunle Adebiyi retains his position as Executive Director, Finance.
A source within LAWMA, who spoke on condition of anonymity, had earlier disclosed to Punch Newspaper on Tuesday that the governor approved a sweeping overhaul of the authority, including the redeployment of senior officers to other departments of the Lagos State public service.
According to the source, the restructuring is aimed at improving service delivery and addressing the worsening waste management challenges threatening public health and environmental sanitation across the state.
The source explained that the governor had ordered a total reorganisation of LAWMA's leadership, alongside the mass transfer and redeployment of officers.
“To improve service delivery and support sustainable organisational growth, Governor Sanwo-Olu has ordered the total reorganisation, mass transfer and overhaul of LAWMA leadership.
“He has appointed Hon. Olajuwon Mautin Akinyemi as Acting Managing Director of LAWMA and Dr Tijani Olorunwa as Acting Director of Operations, while Mr Kunle Adebiyi remains Executive Director, Finance,” the source stated.
The source further disclosed that officers on Salary Grade Levels 13 to 17 had been directed to return to the mainstream Civil Service, Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas.
However, officers in LAWMA's Legal Department were reportedly exempted from the redeployment to prevent disruptions to ongoing legal proceedings and concession agreements.
Similarly, the heads of Landfill Operations, LAWMA Operations and Private Sector Participation Operations were excluded from the exercise for an initial period of 90 days to enable the new management stabilise the agency and ensure continuity in its operations.
Confirming the development, Omotosho said Akinyemi's appointment was effective immediately.
“Yes, Olajuwon Akinyemi has been told to assume office as the acting MD of LAWMA with immediate effect in the major shake-up of the agency,” the commissioner said.
Sanwo-Olu's Displeasure Over Waste Crisis
The leadership change comes amid mounting concerns over the accumulation of refuse across Lagos, with heaps of waste reportedly littering major roads, residential neighbourhoods and drainage channels.
Gbadegesin was earlier reported to have been directed to resign following the governor's alleged dissatisfaction with the slow pace of waste evacuation and the agency's response to directives aimed at tackling the sanitation crisis.
Dr Hassan Sanuth, a director in the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, had earlier been rumoured to have been appointed Acting Managing Director of LAWMA. However, he subsequently issued a statement dismissing the report as untrue.
For several months, spanning August 2025 into early 2026, residents across Lagos reportedly raised repeated concerns over deteriorating waste collection services, as refuse accumulated along road medians, streets and major highways.
Lagos generates approximately 14,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste daily, making LAWMA a critical institution in the state's environmental management and sanitation framework.
The latest reorganisation signals a broader administrative restructuring beyond the replacement of the managing director, encompassing the authority's workforce, operational departments and leadership structure.
The new management is expected to oversee waste collection, transportation, disposal and other environmental sanitation responsibilities across Lagos State.
Akinyemi's Administrative Background
Akinyemi, an indigene of Badagry Local Government Area of Lagos State, is a seasoned administrator with experience in public service.
Before his latest appointment, he was appointed by President Bola Tinubu in 2025 as Deputy Executive Secretary (Technical) of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
He had previously served as Deputy Executive Secretary (Technical) in Lagos State Civil Service for UBEC-related responsibilities.
Akinyemi also held the position of Director of Administration and Human Resources in the Office of Infrastructure in Lagos State.
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