By Salifu Faridat
According to Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, the decision to involve the private sector in waste management was to create a more effective and efficient system for managing waste in Abia.
This approach aims to establish a highly efficient waste management system for the state .Alex Otti declared a state of emergency on waste management in Abia State during his inaugural speech on May 29.
The situation was concerning, with waste literally taking over some roads in parts of the state, particularly in Aba and Umuahia.
However, there has been notable progress in waste management since then, as the heaps of refuse dumps that were defacing the streets have disappeared. Although there is still more room for improvement in this area.
During a press conference in Umuahia, recently the Governor’s Aide shared that the decision to involve the private sector in waste management was motivated by the goal of creating “a cleaner and healthier Abia.”
They also mentioned a phased approach to engage private sector participants, with the successful completion of the first phase and the emergence of bidders.
The winners, or the preferred bidders, are currently being notified about their successful selection.
Their engagement letters are currently undergoing a review process. Once the review is complete, the letters will be served to each of the six preferred bidders.
This transition to involving the private sector aligns with the state’s agenda for rebuilding and will lead to the relief of the existing emergency taskforce on waste management.
During this week, the preferred bidders will receive invitations to a meeting where the offer letters will be shared and the service benchmarks will be discussed. Negotiations will be concluded at the meeting so that they can start working immediately.
The commitment of Otti’s administration is to transform the environmental sanitation of Abia State.
The Governor’s new strategy aims to make Abia the cleanest state in the country, a status it will soon achieve.
The engagement of the private sector in waste management brings about various advantages. These include the improvement of public waste areas, the creation of job opportunities, the stimulation of the state’s economy, and an overall enhancement in the cleanliness of the state.
This move aligns with the Governor’s commitment to transforming the environmental sanitation of Abia State and making it the cleanest state in the country.