Lagos Seeks
Investments In Waste Management
Qasim Akinreti, Lagos
The
Lagos state government is seeking investors into its waste
management, for the conversion of wastes into Bio fuel to
generate energy.
Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola said, at a Town Hall meeting
with private operators in waste management in Lagos, that the
initiative required total commitment and determination from
local investors, as is the case in so many developed countries
of the world which are converting wastes into fuel.
In his words, “there are lots we can gain from refuse, so
many countries have turned their waste to power, once we can
dream it, we can achieve it. We don’t need a foreigner to do it
for us, in those countries, no foreigner did it for them, it
just needs our commitment.”
The governor specifically appealed to wealthy Nigerians who
stashed away their money in foreign countries to invest funds in
bio fuel technology for energy generation using the abundant
wastes from the country’s huge human population activities.
Aside conversion into fuel, the governor said some of these
wastes could be a source of raw materials for the manufacturing
sector. This he said would eventually boost employment and the
nation’s economy.
Challenges
The Managing Director of Lagos State Waste Management Authority,
LAWMA, Mr. Ola Oresanya said that in spite of the remarkable
achievements of the Private Sector Partnership, PSP, in waste
collection in the state, there are apparent lack of technical
capacity to manage operation and maintenance of wastes.
He also identified low financial capability of 60 percent of
investors in the business, poor infrastructural support and high
costs of local fund from financial institutions.
Support
The Lagos state governor promised to assist the waste
operators and boost the morale of workers in waste companies.
Specifically, he pledged an upward review of salaries, free
medical services and a life insurance policy for the staffs.
Yinka
