Nigeria’s food import hits 4-yr high on waiver policy 

The Ogun State Government, through its Waste Management Authority, OGWAMA, has begun a “Special Operation” to evacuate the backlog of waste across the state following a report by DAILY POST.

The report, published on Thursday, February 26, highlighted the alarming state of waste management in the state, with indiscriminate dumping turning it into a corridor of decay.

Heaps of waste were seen scattered across various local government areas, starkly displayed like goods for sale.

It was also gathered that the Private Sector Participants (PSP), who handle waste collection for residential and commercial areas, have been inconsistent.

However, the newly appointed Managing Director of OGWAMA, Farouk Akintunde, on Saturday said the “Special Operation” became necessary to rid the state of accumulated waste that had not been properly attended to before he took over the affairs of the authority.

He added that the “night operation,” which was halted months ago, has been reinstated to tackle the state’s waste crisis and restore cleanliness.

Akintunde said, “All the machinery of the authority has now been deployed to different parts of the state, and the operation is going on simultaneously, especially in major towns such as Abeokuta, Sango-Ota, Ijebu-Ode, Ifo, among others, while the ‘Night Operation,’ which had also been suspended several months back, has returned immediately in full swing.

“Following a fruitful meeting with executives and members of the Ogun State Association of Waste Managers Association (AWAN), where some lingering issues hampering their operations in the past were resolved, members have also resumed immediately in their assigned coverage areas to contribute significantly to the proper evacuation of the accumulated waste across the state.”

Akintunde, who also doubles as Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Environment, urged residents to hand over their waste to the waste managers assigned to their areas and properly containerise it in front of their homes instead of dumping it indiscriminately on roadsides.

Meanwhile, he warned that anyone found dumping waste on road medians would be prosecuted.

After DAILY POST report, Ogun begins ‘special operation’ to evacuate waste

The federal government has dismissed reports suggesting the cancellation of Nigeria’s Visa-on-Arrival (VOA) policy, clarifying that the system has instead been upgraded to enhance efficiency.

Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo made this known after a closed-door meeting with a delegation from the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council in Abuja.

According to him, “The Visa-on-Arrival process is not being scrapped. Rather, it has been upgraded to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Travellers will still be able to apply online for short-stay visas, with approvals granted within 24 to 48 hours.”

He further explained, “Once approved, the visa will be sent to the applicant’s email, eliminating the need for a physical sticker upon arrival. This enhanced system aims to cut out inefficiencies, allowing Nigeria to better automate and control the inflow of travellers.”

Tunji-Ojo added that the reform is part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s investment climate.

“With this upgrade, the country takes another step towards improving its business environment and attracting foreign investment. This upgrade builds upon the existing online approval system, streamlining the process and enabling travellers to receive their approvals ahead of time,” he said.

On her part, Director-General of PEBEC, Zahrah Audu, noted that the meeting was convened to address concerns and clarify the government’s position on the VOA policy.

Visa-on-Arrival not scrapped — Nigerian govt clarifies