The Labour Party’s 2023 Lagos gubernatorial candidate,Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has criticised the Lagos State government’s decision to ban plastic, calling it a “hasty, impulsive decision” devoid of critical policy-making.
Lagos State at the weekend banned the use and distribution of Styrofoam and other single-use plastics in the state, with immediate effect, stating that most drainage channels in the state are daily clogged up.
The government said there had been an indiscriminate distribution and usage despite the regular cleaning and evacuation of the drains with huge resources.
Following its ban on the usage and distribution of Styrofoam and other single-use plastics, the government also ordered a clampdown on all production companies and distribution outlets within the state to prevent further distribution of the banned products.
But Rhodes-Vivour said in a statement on Monday that the ban lacks a well-thought-out alternative and risks devastating the livelihoods of thousands of Lagosians.
“While I acknowledge the importance of addressing environmental concerns and the impact of plastic pollution in Lagos, I find the sudden implementation of this ban without a well-thought-out alternative policy deeply troubling,” Rhodes-Vivour stated.
“This decision lacks consideration for the significant investments made by manufacturers, retailers, and wholesalers of these products, potentially causing severe economic implications.”
Rhodes-Vivour also questioned whether the government had considered the “thousands of retailers and small business owners” whose income is dependent on these products and who may face job losses and business closures.
He accused the current administration of lacking “the temperament to accommodate stakeholder engagements and the discipline to create meaningful policies.”
“Did the government care to think about what would happen to the thousands of retailers and small business owners, from Idumota to Oshodi and Ojota, whose livelihoods are tied to this product? Did it think about the potential loss of jobs and the utter devastation it would bring to manufacturers?
“It has become evident that this administration and the party it represents lacks the temperament to accommodate stakeholder engagements and the discipline to create meaningful policies to address critical issues without destroying the livelihood of citizens.”
He, however, presented an alternative approach, advocating for a phased-out strategy with a focus on education awareness programmes, incentives for alternatives, recycling infrastructure, regulating the pricing of plastic products, extended producer responsibility and stakeholder collaboration.
“I believe that a more sustainable and phased-out approach should be adopted to address the environmental challenges posed by single-use plastics. Rather than an immediate ban, we propose the following alternative policy measures,” he noted.
