Ogun drives investment towards waste-to-energy as EU okays state’s status

Going by European Union’s confirmation of Ogun state’s status for its potentials on waste management and generation of renewable energy under waste-to-energy initiative, government has made moves to drive investment towards the project with a view to finding alternatives to ever fluctuating gas/ hydro-powered energy generation in the country.

The State government is making moves having partnered Lafarge Africa PLC and European Union aftermath (COP 21) UN Climate Change Conference held in Paris – France in 2015 for which Ogun state government and LafargeHolcim sent a high delegation for representation and after which the State government entered in partnership LafargeHolcim on re-cycling of refuse and dead foliages into energy.

Speaking at Press Conference to herald 11th National Council on Environment hosting by Ogun State between Monday and Wednesday in Abeokuta, Bolaji Oyeleye, Commissioner for Environment, disclosed that a team of experts from European Union had concluded visibility studies on State’s status and potentials on waste management and generation of renewable energy from such wastes.

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Oyeleye, who jointly addressed the Press with Sheu Ahmed, Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Environment, said huge investment is being expected into renewable energy sector in order to offer alternatives to the country’s fluctuating gas and hydro-powered energy supply.

He noted that both the Federal and State governments are committed to waste-to-energy initiative, not only to ensure stable energy generation and supply, but also to explore huge jobs opportunities inherent in renewable energy generation and supply that feeds both industrial and residential areas.

He said, “I am happy to report that Ogun state government’s partnership with the Lafarge Africa PLC on waste-to-energy initiative is yielding positive results. We have had European Union sponsored and conducted visibility studies for three to four months on Ogun state’s potentials to generate power from waste and dead leaves.

“The European Union had found out that there are serious potentials for waste-to-energy initiative and development agencies are already working with Ogun state government on that, very soon, you see a lot of activities around waste-to-energy initiative in the state”, Oyeleye concluded.

RAZAQ AYINLA, Abeokuta