PSP, Lagos Settlement Talks Over Waste Collections Suffered Set Back
The attempt by the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAM), otherwise known as Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators and the Lagos State Government to settle the dispute over waste collections in the state out of court has suffered set back.
The two parties Thursday informed Justice Taofiquat Oyekan-Abdullahi of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere that they could not reach an agreement within the two-week mandate given by the court on pricing and duration of a new contract.
The PSP operators had dragged the Lagos State government before the court, seeking an order to stop the state from relieving them of their job of managing domestic waste in the state.
They argued that the government had planned to take their job and give it to a foreign company — Visionscape Sanitation Solutions Ltd.
Joined in the suit as respondents are the Commissioner for Environment and the Attorney-General/Commissioner for Justice.
Others are Visionscape Sanitation Solutions Ltd and ABC Sanitation Solutions Ltd.
At the resumed hearing of the matter on Thursday, counsel to the PSP operators, Tosin Adesioye said that the parties met three times at the office of the Attorney-Genenal of the state, of which the defendants did not appear, except their counsels.
Counsel to Visionscape Sanitation Solutions Ltd and ABC Sanitation Solutions Ltd., Francis Akinlotun said that the issue of willingness to collaborate had been resolved.
Akinlotun said that there were four issues of contention but two among them had been resolved.
”In principle, there is no disagreement. The issues here are the granular terms of this marriage. We have resolved all but two, which has to do with pricing and duration.
”Save for price, we have move on all other issues. However, the claimants are not satisfied with the degree of compromise that we have reached.
”Even as we speak, negotiation are ongoing there is a disagreement on price, the price is even being calculated for different geo locations and that is where we are,” he said.
Counsel to first, second and third defendants, Adetokunbo Ladega said that the position of the defendants was to probably proceed to trial.
”We seem to have made progress, but there are two fundamental issues that had continued to surface,” Ladega said.
Responding, Justice Taofiquat Oyekan-Abdullahi, said, ”I think you should go to trial.
Based on the development, Justice Oyekan-Abdullahi fixed May 3 for hearing of all pending applications.
