President, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Adetokunbo Kayode, has made case for the creation of waste-to-wealth management in all the local government areas in Nigeria.
Kayode made his position known in Abuja during Waste to Wealth roundtable and exhibition organised by the chamber.
He said the chamber would support any persons or group that would be interested in waste to wealth management, saying the country needed a systematic, technology driven and sustainable approach for waste management to create employment and improve livelihoods of citizens.
“The chamber will assist people who can identify used products and convert them into wealth,” he said.
According to Kayode, Nigeria has up to 2.5 million used tyres that can be converted into wealth.
Kitan Oluwagbuyi, Waste Management Society of Nigeria (WAMASON) Federal Capital Territory council chair, said the country needed to create different ways of collecting of waste products.
Oluwagbuyi said it was very important for the country to build infrastructure that would support recycling of waste to wealth, saying, ”We need to deregulate waste to generate wealth and create jobs for Nigerians to have a better life.”
She said few smart countries were already building wealth from waste and creating jobs.
Dele Oye, national vice president, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), said the country generated nearly 70 million tons of waste every year.
Oye, who represented Iyalode Lawson, the national president of NACCIMA, said the volume of waste generated was expected to double in the coming years and that the roundtable was to find solution to waste products.
He said recycling might be Nigeria’s best bet to turn its waste to wealth, saying, “Waste recycling leaves environment clean and beautiful.”
