Harps on turning waste to wealth
The Waste Management Society of Nigeria (WAMASON), Lagos Council, has stressed the need for collaboration to turn the huge waste produced every day into wealth.
The state Council Councillor of the society, Gbolahan Yusuf, who spoke during a media briefing in Lagos, yesterday, said the society is seeking partnership with stakeholders in the waste management sector to ensure wastes are recycled for wealth creation.
The Society, which appreciated the Lagos State government and the Federal Government for their support in working towards turning waste into wealth in the country, called for more collaboration and engagement from stakeholders in the sector.
Yusuf, who stated that more still needed to be done to ensure the waste sector gets more support, said: “We are working with the government on waste management. We still need government’s support for grants to help increase awareness of waste management.
“Waste to wealth is challenging because there is not enough awareness in the country. It costs more to use waste to produce things useful to man and invariably leads to wealth, but if there is support from the government and all stakeholders, we will achieve growth.”
Yusuf said a summit, tagged “Eko Waste Summit,” would soon be organised, to allow networking and sensitisation on waste management as well as ensuring a cleaner environment.
National Treasurer of the association, Mrs. Omotunde Adeola, who also spoke at the briefing, said all hands must be on deck to achieve waste to wealth in recycling.
She, therefore, urged more stakeholders to join WAMASON in its drive to bring awareness to Nigerians on the importance of waste management and waste to wealth.
“Being a member of WAMASON allows you to network. We are members of International Waste Association and we have access to markets as well as links to the government.
“We are looking at how to empower the waste pickers on the streets to ensure their safety and coordination in the waste sector. We will train them on the importance of the job. We are working on how government can support them instead of outlawing them. We can kit them and ensure they become more professional in the picking exercise.
“We need a lot of behavioral motivations, and enforcement of laws to ensure a cleaner environment. We also need to motivate and reward people who keep their plastic bottles. There is a cash gift for keeping the waste and dumping them at the right places provided by government,” she said.
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