By Ndife David, Awka
In a strategic move to encourage collective participation and actualize Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo's vision of maintaining a Clean, Green, and Sustainable Healthy Living Environment, the Anambra State Government, through the Ministry of Environment, has collaborated with the Anambra State Waste Recyclers Association (ASWRA) to launch Phase Two of the All Anambra Community Plastic Waste Recovery Challenge in Awka.
The program, which took place
at Jerome Udoji Secretariat in Awka, aims to completely eliminate plastic waste
from roads, streets, drainages, waterways, and communities by encouraging
proper waste management practices. It is also expected to feature awareness
programs, clean-up drives, and innovative solutions to plastic waste
management.
Speaking during the opening
ceremony, Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo,
represented by his Deputy, Dr. Onyekachi Ibezim, commended the Ministry of
Environment and other agencies for their commitment to collaborating with the
State Government to ensure a clean, green, and sustainable Anambra. He stated
that the initiative is a welcome development as the environment poses a major existential
threat to the state, especially the menace of gully erosion.
Dr. Ibezim emphasized that the
Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo-led administration is very intentional about
environmental issues, which is why the Governor sprang into action at Okpoko
immediately upon assuming office. He noted that the initiative would create
indirect jobs in the industrial and environmental sectors, fostering economic
growth while promoting environmental sustainability. He further tasked the
Environment Commissioner, Engr. Felix Odimegwu, to double his efforts in
addition to his already accomplished efforts to meet the expectations of the
Anambra State Governor.
The Anambra State Commissioner
for Environment, Engr. Dr. Felix Odimegwu, while appreciating Governor Soludo
for his encouragement and support, highlighted the importance of the initiative
and its role in addressing plastic pollution. He stated that plastic pollution
remains one of the major pressing environmental challenges in the world as it
threatens ecosystems, wildlife, and human health. He emphasized the need for a
collaborative effort to effectively combat plastic waste and ensure a better
quality of life for all.
According to him, the State Government is committed to creating a sustainable environment and fostering responsible consumption and production by encouraging initiatives that enable Ndi Anambra to align with the vision of upholding the 5R circular economy, which includes refusing, reducing, reusing, repurposing, and recycling waste. He outlined the ministry's plans to engage the 179 communities in the state, noting that the initiative will also create employment opportunities for youth and women across Anambra, empowering them to be active participants in essential environmental efforts. He announced monetary awards for the top three communities with the most plastic waste collection: one million naira for first place, five hundred thousand naira for second place, and two hundred and fifty thousand naira for third place.
On his part, the MD/CEO of the
Anambra State Waste Management Agency (ASWAMA), Engr. Ozoemena Mike, commended
the Environment Commissioner for the lucrative initiative. He decried the
alarming rate of plastic waste in the state and stated that the program is a
significant step in the right direction that will help reduce, if not
completely end, the menace of massive waste in many communities. He further
called for proper waste management practices among Ndi Anambra.
Top government functionaries, traditional rulers, secondary schools, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), among others, attended the programme.
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