The Federal Government says it is delighted with various platforms for discourse on best ways to manage the environment and would support ideas emanating from such discourse.

It further said that the opportunities in waste management were multifarious calling on entrepreneurs in the country to take advantage of such opportunities.

Nigeria’s Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammad Abubakar, who said this today during the 3^rd International Waste Summit, stated that the Federal Government would support such initiatives geared towards leveraging opportunities in this regards.

Represented by the Officer Overseeing the Project Coordination Office of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Prof. Philip Shekwolo, the Environment Minister congratulated WAMASON for a successful summit, noting that his Ministry was proud to associate with the Society on efforts at managing the environment to make it safe for human existence.

The Waste Management Society of Nigeria (WAMASON) has called on the Federal Government to prevent Nigeria from being turned into a global waste dump by domesticating multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) on wastes and chemicals already ratified at the international level.   

National President of WAMASON, Professor Oladele Osinbanjo, who made this call during the 3^rd International Waste Summit on Thursday, May 20, 2021 in Port Harcourt, further called for the enforcement of appropriate regulations in the sector.

Expressing his appreciation to the Minister of Environment, Dr Mohammad Abubakar for visionary leadership in addressing issues affecting the Nigerian environment, the WAMASON President charged him to facilitate processes that can actualize the domestication of the MEAs in the country.

He expressed delight over the introduction of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Guidelines in Nigeria by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) in September 2014, stressing that “a properly implemented EPR promotes waste avoidance and effective pollution prevention and reduction in many industrial sectors towards promotion of green economy”.

He emphasized that “EPR offers a platform for partnership between government, businesses and communities towards zero waste society”, pointing out that “EPR will help in privatizing and financing the waste management process in which case the polluter pays for the cost of managing the waste”.

In its Goodwill Message, Managing Director of the Nigeria LNG, Tony Attah, represented by the General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Eyono Fatayi-Williams, through  reiterated its commitment to the efforts of WAMASON to streamline waste management in Nigeria, noting that, as a corporate entity, it has continued to ensure best practices in the management of wastes in all its facilities, assuring of its continued support for efforts at creating a functional framework for waste management in the country.

On his part, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Management Board (NCDMB), Simbi Wabote, represented by Cityfaith Zorasi, affirmed its support for all processes and frameworks for waste management in Nigeria, stressing that the board remains a partner of WAMASON in this endeavour.

Also speaking, Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University, Prof. Nlerum Okogbule, represented by the university’s Director, Institute of Geosciences and Space Technology (IGST), Prof. Akuro Gobo, praised WAMASON for organizing the summit, expressing the hope that the summit would accentuate issues that experts in the field and the academia would focus for further research on how to make the environment more conducive for human existence.   

Managing Director of Boskel, Chukwukeluo Chukwuogo decried the underutilization of wastes and their inherent potentials for value addition in the society, pointing out that wastes in Port Harcourt can generate enough power for the Rivers State capital, urging stakeholders to do more to encourage the maximization of potentials in Waste Management.  

Also speaking, President of the Nigerian Environmental Society (NES), Dr Dorothy Bassey spotlighted the partnership between the NES and WAMASON, which, according to her, was now geared towards pursuing a bill to regularize environmental management.

Represented by the 1st Vice President of NES, Prof. John Onwuteaka, the NES President leveraged on the importance of Waste Management as an economic resource, noting that there has been market failure in pursuit of environmental cost of production, pointing out that the Nigerian market has not been able to integrate the cost of disposal in market pricing for plastic products.