LAWMA takes over $50m Visionscape trucks. Following the sacking of Visionscape Sanitation Solutions Limited (VSSL) and the return of Private Sector Partnership (PSP) waste operators to the metropolis on the order of Lagos State House of Assembly, the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has taken over $50 million fleet of trucks belonging to the environmental utility group, New Telegraph findings have shown.
Besides, investigations revealed that the Managing Director of Visionscape, Mr. John Irvine, has relocated to Kenya to oversee the company’s projects in other East African countries, while many staffers of the company in Nigeria have been laid off.
This development was as a result of the controversies between the House of Assembly and the executive on one hand, and between Visionscape and PSP operators, on the other hand, over the waste management contract.
New Telegraph also discovered that the company has removed its signpost from the Ikoyi office.
Visionscape was criticised following the resurface of heaps of refuse on Lagos streets, which many people blamed the company for lack of capacity.
Following the suspension of operations by visionscape, it became conspicuous that most of the company’s trucks (branded in green colour) have been off the roads for sometime.
But an impeccable source, who is a member of the executive of PSP operators in Lagos State, who did not want his name in print, said that many of the trucks are now been rebranded by LAWMA.
“Most of the trucks are on the road, but you can’t know because they have been rebranded in LAWMA’s colour,” the source said.
An official of LAWMA, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also confirmed this.
When contacted on his mobile phone, LAWMA’s Executive Secretary, Mr. Ola Oresanya, stated that the concern of everybody was to clear Lagos metropolis of refuse.
Asked if it was true that the authority has converted Visionscape’s trucks, he said: “All we are concerned about is to clear Lagos of rubbish. Hope they collected waste in your neighbourhood?”
Whether the organization – Visionscape Sanitation Solutions will take Lagos State Government to court over the seemingly breach of contract is a question begging for answers.
When contacted by New Telegraph, spokesperson of Visionscape, Motunrayo Elias, said the organization was discussing with the state government on the way forward.
Elias added that the trucks were withdrawn from Lagos roads due to what happened.
She said: “We are discussing with government on the way forward. Certain things occurred and we think we should withdraw the trucks for now until we conclude the discussion.
“We have not left the country, but our managing director is not around right now. He is in Kenya and other East Africa countries where we have projects.”
On whether the company will approach court for judgement on what some people perceived as ‘breach of contract’ on the part of government, Elias said: “I can’t say we will go to go court in case of breach of contract. Our company’s lawyer will determine that. But as I told you, we are talking right now. Before the end of this week, I will brief further.”
However, there has been rumour making round that Lagos State Government would forfeit N50 billion to Visionscape in the case of breach of contract.
The source said: “Before Visionscape could come to Lagos, there was a rider in the Visionscape/Lagos State contract that says Lagos State would pay N50 billion if the contract is cancelled or revokes the right of the disposal company to operate in Lagos State.”
The report claimed that Lagos State deposited N50 billion with Visionscape and would lose same amount in any event that Lagos breached the contract.
When called on his mobile phone, Special Adviser to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI), Mr. Bola Shabi, said he had just undergone surgery and still recuperating at home.
He asked the reporter to call him next week, that he would be in better shape to talk by then.
Visionscape Sanitation Solution, an environmental utility group contracted by the Lagos State Government, recently gave reasons for shutting down its operations in Lagos.
In a statement signed by Simon Reading, Chairman of the Board of Investors, the firm noted that management took the decision following heightening political tension in the state and reported cases of attack on its employees, destruction of its operational vehicles and equipment.
On the possibility of Visionscape seeking redress in court, a PSP executive said that the company could not take government to court because “it refuses to perform its own side of the contract.”
“Lagos House Assembly says it does not know Visionscape. It is illegal transaction because it was not sanctioned by the lawmakers,” he said.
The PSP executive said that LAWMA has a lot of work to do, pointing out that most of the Transfer Loading Stations (TLSs) at Simpson, Tapa and Agege were in bad shape and would need repairs.
He also confirmed that “most of the trucks have been rebranded by LAWMA”.
“LAWMA has a lot of work to do, it is tidying up most of its facilities, and you know that it would take time to repair what has been spoilt,” he said.
He described the sanitary landfill being developed by Visionscape in Epe as “a glorified dumpsite,” pointing out that it was not far from a major steam in the town.
In 2016, the Lagos State Government, under the leadership of Governor Ambode, through the Ministry of Environment, introduced the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI) backed by a recently passed Environmental Management and Protection Law.
The Lagos State Government then awarded contracts to the Visionscape Sanitation Solutions Limited and its strategic partners for deployment of waste management infrastructure.
Trouble started when the state government suspended the operations of PSPs in the state and engaged the services of Visionscape to manage the refuse collection in Lagos.
Back then, the government claimed that the CLI was to deliver an innovative and sustainable waste management system that was world-class.
