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Government to review solid waste management law

By Cornelius Essen, Abuja
11 November 2019   |   4:05 am
The Federal government has concluded plans to tinker with existing waste management instruments to check its menace in the country.

The Federal government has concluded plans to tinker with existing waste management instruments to check its menace in the country.

Instruments to be reviewed include policies, regulations, technical guidelines and standards to ensure that wastes generated are managed in environmentally sound and sustainable manner in all the states of the federation.

The Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammed Abubakar made this known at handover ceremony of community-based waste management project, the first government- owned plant, located in Karu, Nasawara state.

The programme was designed as intervention waste schemes to assist the state governments manage their municipal solid waste because the problem still persists, especially in urban areas.

According to him, the problem is exacerbated by migration, over population, emergence of slums, industrialisation, and changes in consumption patterns, inadequate planning and resources to the ones generated.

“More worrisome is the fact that both hazardous and non hazardous wastes, including hospital wastes are disposed off in dumpsites and burnt openly. These pose great risk to citizens’ health and environment.”

In his remark, Governor Abdullahi Sule thanked the federal government for sitting the recycling plant in Karu, adding that wastes to wealth is a global phenomenon that discourages people from dumping in drainages.

He said the government has sealed a deal with United Kingdom-based firm to convert the waste to electricity. “We are taking steps to address environmental challenges in the state,” he added.

Also speaking, immediate past Minister of Environment, and Emir of Lafia, Ibrahim Jibrin expressed joy that the project have been completed, and urged the community to use the recycling plant judiciously and to its full capacity.

On his part, Project Manager, Tanko Aura said that the establishment of the plant in Karu, adjudged by World Health Organisation to be the fastest growing urban centre with an estimated population of over 1.8 million by 2008 would boost the economy of the state.

“The great Karu area is a complex combination of nine rapidly expanding towns made up of Tudun wada, Auta Balefi, Kuchikau, Masaka, Nyanya Gwandara, Nyanya Gbagyi, Karu, Ado, One Man village and Mararaba. They generate 360 tonnages of daily.”

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