Yola: The Adamawa Government and the World Bank have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to construct a recycling plant in Yola as part of efforts to tackle plastic pollution.
Mr Muhammed Muhammad, Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources Development, made this known in an interview with reporters on Friday in Yola.
According to Muhammad, the plant, when completed, will support efforts to create a cleaner and healthier environment for state residents.
“We have concluded plans to install a recycling plant to harvest plastic waste across the state and convert it into valuable products. Some of the items to be recycled include chairs, beds, and interlock tiles, among others,” he said.
He said that although the project was initially sited in Gombi Local Government Area, poor roads and epileptic power supply necessitated relocation to Yola, the state capital.
The commissioner also said that the government was engaging major beverage producers, including Adamawa Beverages and Coca-Cola, to promote paper-based packaging as a sustainable alternative.
“We are encouraging manufacturers to shift from plastic to eco-friendly materials to reduce environmental impact,” he added.
Muhammad said that the ministry had commenced registering and regulating waste management operators across the state to ensure proper and safe waste disposal practices.
He said all waste handlers had been summoned, profiled, and directed to dump refuse only at designated government-approved sites.
He cautioned against using children in waste collection and recycling activities, stressing that the government would not tolerate child labour in the sector.
Highlighting some of the ministry’s achievements, Muhammad said that the state had reintroduced monthly sanitation exercises, banned indiscriminate tree felling, and trained women in the production of eco-friendly cooking briquettes.
He said that the waste-to-wealth initiative reflected the commitment of the Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri-led administration to build a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable Adamawa.
