Abiodun Nejo
The Ekiti State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Tosin Aluko-Ajisafe, says the state government is dedicated to ensuring effective waste management to attract investors to the sector.
Aluko-Ajisafe made this known on Friday in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, during a one-day “Waste Wise Cities Tool Training” themed Capacity Building for Effective Municipal Solid Waste Management.
The event was organised by the state government in collaboration with the United Nations Habitat.
She remarked, “The partnership between Ekiti State and UN-Habitat, aimed at accurately determining the daily volume of waste generated, will foster further development, enhance recycling processes, and convert waste into wealth, thereby boosting the state’s development.
“This collaboration, which led to the registration of Ado Ekiti in the African Clean Cities Platform, will also result in a cleaner and healthier environment.”
Mercy Odhiambo, the UN-Habitat representative, stressed that effective data collection is crucial for addressing waste management issues, stating, “The WaCT training will equip environmental officers with the tools to assess waste generation, identify stakeholders, and develop data-driven waste management strategies.”
Akintobi Olusanmi, UN-Habitat’s Technical Support to Ekiti State, noted that waste management in Ado Ekiti is a key aspect of the Ekiti State Sustainable Urban Development Programme designed by the international organisation.
Olusanmi said, “Some investors and donors are willing to support the state, but there is a lack of data on the waste generated in Ado Ekiti and throughout Ekiti State. We are here to train people on how to gather and input data on waste generation in Ado Ekiti, enabling us to provide insights for investment and attract investors to the waste management sector. This training serves as a ‘train the trainer’ session on how to use the tool effectively.”
The Director-General of the Ekiti State Waste Management Agency, Sunkanmi Onipede, stated that the ultimate goal is to build wealth from waste. He added, “Accurate data will elevate us to the donor level, attracting investors to our waste management efforts.”
Onipede highlighted ongoing efforts, saying, “On a smaller scale, we have revived our recycling plant at Ilokun Dumpsite. Although this is currently at a minimal scale, once the study is complete and we have sufficient data, investors will be able to significantly enhance our operations. Most of our plastics will no longer leave Ekiti, and with a properly managed compost plant, the dumpsite could create jobs for at least 1,000 people in Ekiti, which is crucial for us now.”
He also mentioned, “The materials at the dumpsite need to be identified and utilised effectively.”
Babatunde Alokan, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, discussed the ministry’s ongoing efforts to ensure the cleanliness of the Ado Ekiti metropolis. He said,
“The government has provided 20 Dino bins for waste collection at strategic locations. In the next few weeks, an additional 20 bins will be produced, making a total of 40 Dino bins. With these, our task force officers will be fully equipped, and we will soon achieve efficient waste collection across Ekiti State.”
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