Federal Government has unfolded its plan to establish at least one recycling plant in each of the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria, as part of measures to ensure implementation of its circular economy programme to achieve a cleaner environment through effective management of solid and plastic waste
The Minister of State of Environment, Dr.Iziaq Kunle Salako who made this known in Abeokuta during a recent workshop organized by the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency for chemical handlers and users in the state, called on the State Governments in the country to join the crusade of banning of single use plastic to ensure cleaner environment
He however pointed out that the Federal Government was fully aware of the several obstacles to the implementation of the circular economy project, assuring that the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is fully committed to execution of its roadmap for circular economy
"The Federal Government is aware of the several obstacles to the implementation of a circular economy in Nigeria including inadequate policy, legal and regulatory framework, insufficient funds dedicated to promoting the concept, inadequate and unaffordable recycling technologies, dearth of information on alternatives, low level public awareness, inadequate data, economic constraints, fear of change amongst others.
"Despite these challenges, the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is resolute in achieving a clean circular and buoyant economy for the nation and therefore, my Ministry, the Federal Ministry of Environment as part of its deliverables under the 8 presidential priority areas is expected to commence the full implementation of the circular economy roadmap for the country this 2024", the minister assured
The environment ministry according to him, is taking proactive measures to promote sound circular economy principles and practices in the country.
He listed the measures being taken to include:Strengthening relevant policies, and institutional and regulatory framework to address identified gaps.
The minister stated government has continued to build the capacity of manufacturers and producers to embrace the principles of cleaner production and circular economy in their operations.
Salako added that the enforcement of the national policies on chemicals management, solid and plastic waste management was aimed at empowering the most vulnerable group in the society under the Tinubu's administration waste to wealth entrepreneurship programme
"Putting in place a national plastic waste recycling programme aimed at establishing at least one plastic recycling plant in each of the 774 Local Government Areas in the country"
"Putting in place a community-based waste management programme that encourages the involvement of local communities in modern waste management practices such as waste sorting, segregation, composting and recycling.Raising consumer awareness around sustainable purchasing practices by increasing consumer demand for greener, safer and healthier services and products"
The minister disclosed that his ministry had already set up a "Circular Nigeria Committee whose members are expected to come up with innovative, inclusive, locally acceptable, business friendly and scalable ways to implement the country's Circular Economy Roadmap
"We have also announced a ban on single use plastics in all departments, agencies, programnes and projects of the Ministry. In the days ahead, we shall be presenting a memo at the Federal Executive Council praying FEC to approve the banning of single use plastics in all MDAs of the Federal Government of Nigeria. These measures are symbolic demonstration of our commitment to frontally tackle the plastic waste menace in our environment and a warning shot that waste generation and management in our country cannot remain business as usual"
"I commend the many sub-national actions by state governments being undertaken to better manage our waste and promote circularity, let me use this opportunity to call on ministries of environments in Nigeria to immediately adopt the policy of banning single use plastics in all their offices and operations as a minimum symbolic demonstration and preparation for the inevitable ban of single use plastics in our country", he submitted
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