The North East Development Commission (NEDC) in collaboration with the Borno State Government have flagged off a five days training programme on waste management and Recycling for selected participants in the 27 Local Government Area of Borno State.
Declaring the training open on Monday, 12 February, 2024, in Maiduguri, the Borno State Commissioner for Environment, Engr Emat Kois, called on the participants to harness the training for personal, societal and national benefits through job creation
Represented by the General Manager of the Borno State Environmental Protection Agency (BOSEPA), Alhaji Abubakar Suleiman, the Commissioner described waste as wealth while noting that the programme is apt and timely, as it is capable of addressing the rate of unemployment and contributing to fight against climate change globally.
“I am happy to see this initiative. With the current price of diesel now, it is high time we have as many alternatives as possible,” he said.
He emphasised on the need to come together to mitigate climate change effect through waste management and renewable energy exploration.
According to him, “the super powers are the major pollutants and not developing country like Nigeria, but then, we are talking about something that is affecting the world, therefore, everyone must take a part in proffering solution to the problem by converting waste products to wealth products.”
In his remarks, the NEDC State Coordinator, Engineer Muhammed said the training project is running across all the six states of the North East and each of the state have not less than 500 participants.
He said, “in Borno State for instance, the selection cut across the 27 local government area of the state, the key stakeholders were included in the selection process, examples like ministry of environment, agric, youth and sport, and others added value in terms of the names selection. It has taken them some months to come up with the names”.
He noted that the participants are to be splitted in their area of choice among the six projects which Include renewable energy, waste management, water shed management, climate change and awareness, use of efficient stove, and fabrication of efficient stove and briquettes production
“The programme is in trippatite, one is that it will be self sustainable to the participants, two, it will create job, and the third is to ensure that youths key into the global aim of reducing global warming,” he added.
He however noted that beneficiaries of the training will be supported with a start up stipend at the end of the programme , while they progressively build on the business
One of the participant, Mustapha Muhammed expressed appreciation to NEDC and the Borno State Government for the initiative, while noting that the program will be a way paver for him in his quest for financial independency.
