Lagos government invents first environment-friendly vulcanising machine

The Lagos State Government says it has invented the world’s first multipurpose solar-powered vulcanising equipment for quick operation without carbon emissions, to safeguard health and lives of residents.

Mr Daisi Oso, the General Manager, Lagos State Planning and Environmental Monitoring Agency (LASPEMA), said this in an interview with our Correspondent in Lagos.

He spoke to NAN on the sideline of a plenary at the 31st Lagos Builders’ Conference organised by the Lagos Chapter of Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) in Lekki on Thursday.

The theme for the conference was: “The Shifting Landscape: Redefining the Real Estate Industry”

Oso said over 10,000 vulcanisers were operating on Lagos Road setbacks and government was introducing the technology to regulate their operations.

He said it was also to efficiently eliminate pollution, to make Lagos a livable and sustainable city.

The general manager said that the solar-powered vulcanising equipment would eliminate archaic methods used by vulcanisers that put stress on them and the public.

He said the archaic method damaged some tyres because it had special components, including heavy duty jacks.

“This machine is my idea, I conceptualised it to the glory of God.

“I now pushed it to some engineers who now interfaced with engineers abroad, and then of course, today, we have one of that equipment in Nigeria. It has been tested ruggedly, anyhow,” he said.

He said his ministry, with support of the governor, had introduced the invention, a first of its kind globally, to the association of vulcanisers who were eagerly waiting for mass production of the machines.

Oso said the association members brought giant tyres used by trucks and trailers for demonstration in Mushin about a week ago and were shocked at how easy it was to remove and pump tyres without stress, smoke and noise.

He said that LASPEMA was already collating a database of vulcanisers and would soon unveil an app for the public to easily access those using the green technology in all locations across the state.

“It is a new green technology. I challenge you to check it, there is nowhere in the world, there is no place where you have a solar– powered pumping machine for vulcanisers. This is the first and it is just coming from the factory,” he said.

He said the government signed an MOU with the local engineering company on the patency rights in Nigeria and the firm was liaising with the manufacturers abroad.

He said government was negotiating financial options for funding mass production of the equipment at low cost.

Oso added that government was also working on an installment payment plan for vulcanisers towards gradually phasing out the old machines, as well as construction of laybys for installation of the green machines.

He expressed concern at issues of shanties springing up in urban spaces and road setbacks, constituting abuse to the environment and nuisance to residents.

Oso said around every beautiful estate irregular developments sprung up.

The general manager said daily influx of people into Lagos was compounding the trend, hence the ongoing efforts to introduce modern standardised kiosks for trading activities.

He said government was going to invoke some sections of its Physical Planning laws which already prescribed kinds of road furniture, their heights, colour and other parameters for informal lands use in the state.

He said the government was going to start pilot of the standardised kiosks in three of its divisions — Ikorodu, Ikeja and Lagos Island.

He said the government’s regulation was careful to capture the urban poor and prioritise the informal sector which was the highest employer of labour and contributing huge revenue to the state’s GDP.

“I am a town planner, when I am planning, I put up a sustainable structure in place to take care of today, and of course tommorow,” he said.

He commended the visionary leadership of former governor, Sen. Bola Tinubu, that created the agency in 2001 to regulate open spaces to prevent misuse and abuse.

Oso said LASPEMA, an agency under the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, was saddled with responsibility of managing setbacks and incidental spaces in the state for sustainability and livable city.

He said that the open spaces belonged to government and were meant for future expansion and development, hence the need to preserve and protect them.