Ogun holds second chemical handlers, users’ workshop
The Federal Government has said that it is making an intentional all-inclusive and properly-contextualised effort to fight the environmental ills brought about by industrialisation to evade their deleterious effects.
Minister of State for Environment, Dr Iziaq Kunle Salako, who disclosed this, yesterday, said that achieving the target would not be possible without the circular economy principle, adding that a sustainable and future-focused economy must include its development.
Salako, while delivering his keynote address at the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA) second chemical handlers and users workshop, said the concept of circular economy is very broad and overarches a range of related topics, including resource efficiency, waste hierarchy, shift to renewable resources both for material and energy purposes and more.
He said that the large volume of waste being generated in the present circular economy business opportunities across the waste management value chain should be properly harnessed for job creation and composting facilities, among others.
In his speech, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, who was represented by his deputy, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, said Ogun State, being the industrial hub in Nigeria, would do everything possible to reduce chemical pollution and waste management through OGEPA.
In his welcome address, the Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, advised all participants to the second edition of the workshop on the need for a collective effort to address the challenges posed by chemicals and wastes.
Oresanya said that the success recorded at the first edition by educating all stakeholders on interconnectivity between chemicals and wastes necessitated the OGEPA to organise the workshop. He, therefore, charged all stakeholders to come together to achieve long overdue expectations of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) towards 2030.
