Not less than Sixty youths in Ojodu LCDA, Lagos State, would be trained on the mechanisms for turning waste into wealth, as the Council partners with Rotary Club of Gbagada District, Lagos State Government Ministry, LAWMA and KALTANI (which is one of Nigeria’s largest cleantech plastic recycling and waste management companies), for the 3-day life-changing initiative.
At the flag off ceremony held in the early hours of Monday 17th October, 2022, at the Council Secretariat, the President of the Rotary Club Gbagada, Mr. Alonzie R. Nsirimobi, praised the Executive Chairman of Ojodu LCDA, Hon David Olusegun Odunmbaku, for welcoming and encouraging their ideas. He stated how lucky the people of Ojodu are to have such a leader, who prioritises the empowerment of the people. He also talked about the importance of the programme and encouraged the participants to make the best of the opportunity.
In his opening remarks, the Mayor, who was represented by the Vice Chairman, Hon Bunmi Oluyadi, appreciated the efforts of the partners towards the actualization of the wonderful initiative, which is also part of his plans for the youths in the LCDA (as captured in his HEYS mission). He also said that ‘this is a good opportunity for us to tap into the treasures of wastes in order to become multi-millionaires, even in the midst of unemployment’.
Oluyadi also stated that the trainers have been given the instructions to shortlist the best trainees in each section for financial empowerment by the Council to serve as morale booster.
The representative from the Ministry of Environment, Mrs. Toyin Oguntola, talked about the ever increasing waste in Lagos and the inability to deal with it. She also said that the population in Lagos is on the rise, which also increases waste but there is a limited number of lands for dumping waste.
“Conserving of resources is an integral part of waste management, dumping of waste inappropriately causes flooding and also leads to diseases as stagnant water causes mosquito which eventually leads to malaria.”
She concluded saying “what you think is waste is actually a money making venture, as translated from the popular Yoruba saying “Inú Ìgbé lowó wá, owo ìgbé kìí rùn”.
The Supervisor for Environment, Hon. Abdulsalam Olawale, stated that the government needs the people just as the people need the government, and the Chairman is using all the opportunities in his disposal to empower the community.
“As the Government is trying to fulfilll some of its promises, you (trainees) must listen so that you can become part of the shortlisted to get the incentives from the Chairman” Abdulsalam said.
The four recycling section, which the trainees would get empowered in, include conversion of plastics wastes to building blocks; conversion of used tyres to furnitures; conversion of food waste to cooking gas; and the installation of 12 Aggregators in Ojodu LCDA.