The Ogun State State Ministry of Environment has stated that it is adopting Waste to Wealth Initiative as an integral part of its policy meant to engage recycling companies to provide raw materials from waste materials for industries across the State.
The State Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Abiodun Abudu Balogun said this while taking his turn to defend his ministry’s 2020 budget performance before the House Committee on Environment led by Hon. Wahab Haruna at the Assembly Complex, Oke Mosan.
Hon Balogun stressed that the Ministry had continued to ensure that every waste emanating from houses and public places were being converted to useful industrial resources, while empowering people and promoting cleaner environment initiatives.
While assuring the State lawmakers of a more coordinated waste management scheme, the Commissioner stated that the ministry was already fine-tuning policy with the Ministry of Physical Planning to address issues of flooding and erosion through clearing of waterways and putting away of illegal structures preventing free flow of water. .
He said dredging activities were carried out on streams and rivers with a total of N57.1m revenue generated within the period under review.
Defending the State Environmental Protection Agency, the Commissioner stated that the Agency had engaged the service of nine environmental consultants, while it had equally reviewed 23 environmental audits reports, visited 31 companies for the evaluation of their environment management system with respect to water pollution control, solid waste management, health, safety and environment (HSE) amongst others.
He added that the Agency generated N53.778m in to government coffers for the period.
In a remark, the Chairman and other lawmakers commended the Ministry for putting in place measures towards promoting healthy and clean environment, charging them to further improve on their efforts towards achieving a more sustainable environment.
