By Amaka Isikala
The Anambra State Government has taken another step towards strengthening its circular economy and sustainable waste management agenda with a renewed partnership with the Anambra State Waste Recyclers Multipurpose Cooperative Society (ASWARCOOP).
Speaking at the presentation of Certificates of Registration to pioneer primary cooperatives under ASWARCOOP at the Old ITC Park, Onitsha-Owerri Road,on July 25, the Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Clem Aguiyi, Esq., described the Society as a strategic partner in the state’s environmental sustainability drive and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to collaborating with organisations advancing responsible waste management.
The event, hosted by ASWARCOOP under the leadership of Pastor Ben Agape, brought together stakeholders across the recycling value chain to promote resource recovery, environmental education, community mobilisation and job creation.
Dr. Aguiyi commended the cooperative for its structured approach to recycling and invited it to partner with the Ministry on the proposed Model School Waste Collection and Recycling Initiative, aimed at promoting waste sorting, recycling education and environmental consciousness among students in public schools across the state.
He stressed that waste should no longer be viewed as refuse but as an economic resource capable of creating jobs, supporting entrepreneurship and driving Anambra’s circular economy.According to him, the initiative aligns with Governor Soludo’s Fifth Pillar of Development—Environment and Urban Regeneration which seeks to build a clean, green and resilient Anambra.
Earlier, ASWARCOOP President, Pastor Ben Agape, reaffirmed the Society’s commitment to advancing recycling, environmental education and grassroots mobilisation while pledging continued collaboration with the Ministry of Environment.
Following the event, Dr. Aguiyi inspected several plastic recycling plants across the Onitsha metropolis, where he examined recovered plastic waste and finished products such as buckets, hangers and containers.He, therefore, commended the scale of recycling operations in the area and identified high electricity costs and inadequate power supply as major constraints to increased production.
He, then, assured operators of the state government’s support in strengthening recycling infrastructure to boost productivity, expand employment opportunities and improve waste recovery across Anambra State.
Amaka Isikala is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
