The Commissioner for Environment in Anambra State,Engr. Dr. Felix Odimegwu, has declared that the Anambra State Government has pledged to collaborate with the Anambra State Waste Recyclers Association (ASWRA) to eliminate plastic and other waste materials from the state.
This commitment was made during a meeting organised by Ambassador Obuesi Philips, the initiator of ASWRA,recently.
The commissioner emphasized that the partnership with ASWRA and the Recyclers Association of Nigeria aims to significantly reduce the amount of waste in the state, aligning with the clean, green, and sustainable vision of the administration led by Professor Charles Soludo.
Engr. Odimegwu expressed the opinion that recycling is the most effective approach and highlighted its various benefits. Recycling would help prevent the release of gaseous substances like methane, which occurs when waste is burned.
Furthermore, it would generate employment opportunities, reduce government expenditure on waste evacuation and landfill management, and contribute to increased internally generated revenue (IGR), among other advantages.
“Plastic wastes take up to 400 years to decay which makes it difficult to manage as a waste. Six thousand tons of solid waste are generated in the state daily and it’s huge but with this partnership, waste management will now be easier.
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“Anambra State is ready to partner with you (recyclers) to help sanitize the state and make it more liveable and prosperous. I believe that with the association in place, we will now have an organized way of picking up wastes and sorting same,” he said.
Furthermore, the commissioner mentioned that upon assuming office, the administration led by Professor Soludo took immediate action to clear the piles of waste that were scattered across the streets, roads, and other areas of the state.
He also revealed plans to launch a project called the “An all Anambra State Plastic Bottle Challenge,” in which incentives will be provided to the best-performing community in waste management, as well as the first and second runners-up. On the occasion of the 2023 World Earth Day, key stakeholders such as traditional rulers, presidents-general (PGs), religious leaders, women leaders, and youth leaders were invited, and they were urged to take responsibility for waste management in their respective localities.
The commissioner encouraged waste recyclers to come to Anambra, emphasizing the importance of their involvement in the state. During the meeting, Amb. Obuesi Philips, the host and convener of ASWRA, expressed his delight at the state government’s eagerness to collaborate with the association, highlighting its potential for facilitating.
Akinyemi Oluwafemi from Chikason Group expressed his appeal to the government to prohibit the burning of solid waste, emphasizing that it depletes the availability of raw materials for recycling plants and contributes to pollution.
He highlighted the challenges faced by the Chicason recycling plant, which is unable to operate at its full capacity due to a shortage of materials. Despite investing over N300 million in the purchase of plastic waste, the plant is currently running at less than 30% capacity due to a lack of raw materials.
During the discussion, another participant named Mss Oluchi expressed her gratitude to the forum organizers and drew attention to the issue of waste scavenging in Anambra State. She expressed concern about the alarming rate of scavenging activities taking place in the state and called on the government to closely monitor their activities.
