Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged the Ogun state government to work with waste management investors to help the country achieve a cleaner environment.
This was said by Obasanjo when a team from the State Waste Management Agency (OGWAMA) visited him at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta on Thursday.
He praised Governor Dapo Abiodun for establishing a proper sanitation institute and said it was proof of his determination to create a cleaner environment in the country.
“I advise the governor and his government to cooperate with various stakeholders in waste management.
“This will help the state mobilize clean environment efforts, which is the main reason for the formation of the agency,” said Obasanjo.
The former president specifically called for partnerships in waste recycling, saying this would help the agency generate energy for domestic and industrial use.
According to him, the final product from recycled waste can also be used as manure for agricultural purposes and the library is ready to cooperate with related agencies.
“The energy produced can be used for the benefit of the nearby communities where the recycling facilities are located.
“This will reduce excessive dependence on utility companies and move the country towards industrial growth and sustainable development,” said Obasanjo.
In response to this, the governor’s special adviser for the environment, Ola Oresanya, said that OGWAMA was created as a job creation tool, stressing that the agency has created more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs.
He said the state government was determined to make the country the cleanest in Nigeria.
Mr Oresanya, who is also the CEO of OGWAMA, thanked the former president who had donated a scholarship to the agency.
The Nigerian News Agency (NAN) reported that the highlight of the visit was the appreciation of Mr. Obasanjo as OGWAMA’s great patron.
