Waste To Wealth: The Success Story Of Umuoghara Recycling Plant In Ebonyi State By Philip Nweze

Good leadership is all about harnessing opportunities around and using them to redefine the concept of governance.

With recession biting hard and fortunes dwindling with speed of lightning, creativity and ingenuity of every leader is put to test on how to convert the present challenges into opportunities for greatness.

Thus, The ingenuity of Ebonyi State Governor, Chief David Umahi in establishing a waste recycling plant is well thought out. The mega pulverization plant located at Umuoghara Ezza North L.G.A. in Ebonyi State is quite commendable due to the great benefits the government and the people of Ebonyi State stand to gain. The plant stands to be the biggest in Nigeria and only one in the south east.

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into reusable objects to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, energy usage, air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from landfilling) by decreasing the need for conventional waste disposal.

Recycling has been a common practice for most of human history, with recorded advocates as far back as Plato in 400 BC.

During periods when resources were scarce and hard to come by, archaeological studies of ancient waste dumps show less household waste (such as ash, broken tools and pottery) implying more waste was being recycled in the absence of new material.

As the world fast tracks to globalization, research has it that the magnitude of garbage and waste that we produce in our environment is increasing at a disturbing rate.

While many people and government are not aware that recycling of waste products and material can be lucrative and a source of employment, the action the governor of Ebonyi State and his team of political disciples, and economic experts have taken a bold step in this regard by establishing a waste recycling plant.

The Umahi-led government is hinged on four pillars of economic transformation, job creation, environmental sustainability and human empowerment.

The people’s governor had through different people oriented programmes ranging from agriculture, road construction, human resources development, skill acquisition, economic empowerment and small scale industries proved that he is indeed the right man to shephard Ebonyi people at this time of biting economic recession.

Recycling is an economic development tool as well as an environmental tool. With the quantity of materials that are thrown away each day, it is important to ensure that the recyclable materials are not going to the landfill but to the recycling centers.

Recycling create reduction and offer direct development opportunities for communities when collected with skill and care, and upgraded with quality in mind.

Discarded materials are local resource that can contribute to local revenue, job creation, business expansion and the local economic base.

The raw materials are never in short supply as Lagos (and other commercial cities in Nigeria) is known for its huge generation of waste. From figures available from LAWMA, 9,000 metric tones of waste is generated daily with about 1,200 metric tones being converted into other uses. This creates room for the establishment of recycling plants in Lagos and indeed other states of the federation. On the path of Ebonyi state the state government would soon commence the importation of waste materials from other states with the intention of turning them into wealth.

An article published by “Daily times Newspaper” revealed an example of a recycling company in Nigeria that made over $61 million from exporting recycled metallic waste. Governor Umahi’s establishment and construction of waste recycling plant in Ebonyi State is indeed a dream come true because of the high demand for recycling products which has proved to be stronger, better, cheaper and long lasting than most of other products.

In Nigeria, it is only Lagos State that has launched such waste to wealth initiative which is now a reality in Ebonyi State courtesy of our dear governor Chief Engr. David Nweze Umahi due to his quest to make Ebonyi State clean and also open up some investment opportunities and industries that will be beneficial to Ebonyians and our environment.

Research has revealed that over 75 percent of waste products are recyclable but only 30 percent of these wastes are being recycled globally even with its numerous benefits.

According to the Commissioner for Lands Housing and Survey on completion of the pulverization plant by December this year, the people of Ebonyi state would start to derive value from wastes generated from their homes and that the streets of Abakaliki and its environs would be waste free.

Recycling outfits contribute to the economy, with respect to taxes, conservation of power consumption, local content creation for small and medium scale development, Job creation, protection of the environment and wealth distribution.

Among some recyclable products in our environment that Ebonyi waste to wealth recycling company can provide or use include; aluminum cans, recycling of scraps, gold, waste collection centre, construction waste, Garbage recycling and electronic waste recycling.

Others are cartridge recycling, rice husk/dust, Home items, Glass, paper, plastic bottle, cardboard paper, e-recycling and other unused materials in our dustbins and back yards.

As we appreciate our able Governor for the establishment of a recycling plant in Ebonyi State. It is very pertinent to state that there is no end to the benefits that Ebonyi and Nigeria stand to gain. Moreover, the items and products being recycled are always in hot demand.

Ebonyi people should cue into this innovations by the state government to empower Ebonyians, create Job, make our environment clean, transform the state, and make it one of the best states in Nigeria.

God bless the David of our time.

Akubaraoha is working and Ezza Nation are celebrating in Divine mandate style.