Attitudinal change has been identified as one of the major panaceas to the perennial problem of effective waste management across Ibadanland, the Oyo State capital.
This was the thrust of the messages delivered by different experts and stakeholders at the townhall meeting organised by Jericho Businessmen Club (JBC) which held at the Ibadan House on Friday.
The townhall meeting was part of the activities set aside for the celebration of annual Ibadan Festival Week organised by the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII). The theme of the townhall meeting is: “Beautiful Ibadan City: The Waste Management Agenda.”
While delivering his speech, the keynote speaker, Engr. Wasiu Ajagbe noted that reduction in the rate of waste generation will go a long way to curb dirty condition of Ibadan. He called on all and sundry to wake up and stop indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the road medians across Ibadan.
He suggested creation of government ambassadors and collaboration with the media to preach attitudinal change towards waste management in Ibadan.
Engr. Ajagbe also advocated the involvement of the traditional rulers – Mogajis, Baale and other chieftaincy title holders in the fight against dirts in Ibadan.
Also in her submission, the chairperson of the Oyo State Waste Management Task Force, Adedayo Aderonke highlighted the achievements and challenges of the Oyo State government. She reiterated that attitudinal change will go a long way to reduce the burden of waste management on the state government.
She added that reduction in the use of plastic bottles will be a great relief to the society, stressing that sustainable waste management is key.
Similarly, the Executive Director of Lagos Waste Management Authority, Mr. Kunle Adebiyi said Lagos achieved so much in waste management because of inter-agency collaboration and law enforcement. He stated that Lagos was able to force every resident to comply in order to ensure effective waste management.
He also reiterated attitudinal change as the best way to make waste management easy for the government, stressing that it is beyond only government to manage.
“For us in Lagos, we separate each sector and assign waste managers for them each including medical sector, market sector and residence sector among others and we give the close monitoring. Today in Lagos, we have about 150 recycling plants.” He stated.
Also the trio of Lasisi Adejoke, Ifedapo Runsewe and Abimbola Olufore harped on recycling of waste and how to turn waste to wealth. They reiterated the need to reuse some of the generated waste like plastic bottles, pure water sachets, tyre and many others.
They declared that there was a lot of prospects in waste recycling, stressing that burning of waste contributed a lot to the present negative climate change the world now experience.
They charged all stakeholders to work on the mindset and attitude of people towards waste management. They reiterated that waste management should be a business where everyone benefits.
Earlier at event, the President of JBC, Chief Remi Babalola said the club has over the years been trusted with driving the intellectual contents of the annual Ibadan Week Festival by the CCII, being an affiliate member of the Council.
He reiterated that the club will continue to make its impacts felt even beyond Ibadanland.
“We are committed to industrial transformation of our dear state and addressing head-on the perennial erosion, open defecation, environmental degradation, waste disposal challenges and portable water in schools and communities.” Babalola stated.
He added that JBC has contributed and supported immensely in the areas of social, economic, healthcare and educational sectors of Ibadanland.