The Akwa Ibom State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with P & A Environmental Solutions Limited on waste collection, recycling and management.
The agreement between the Akwa Ibom state government and P and A Environmental Solutions Limited was signed yesterday at the conference room of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem.
In his address, Dr Ekuwem, who represented the Governor, said that the state government is keen on the agreement because it is in tandem with the government’s industrialization policy.
While pointing out that the company was considered on the basis of local content, the SSG charged the company to ensure that Akwa Ibom people participate actively in the value chain.
“Our interest in this is that it is part of the industrialization revolution of the Governor of the state. We are always interested in local contents. His Excellency is always talking about giving these young men and women the capacity to be creative to do what is right. A lot of the restiveness is caused by nothing to do. Competence must be developed internally to ensure that this is sustained,” he said.
The SSG revealed that the company’s focus is on waste collection, transportation to the recycling facility, separation into bits and where they belong sectorally.
The State Commissioner of Environment, Dr. Iniobong Essien who was upbeat about the agreement, said that it will usher in an era of zero waste in the State.
He said that the agreement which will see to the establishment of a recycling plant will go a long way in reducing poverty and generating employment for Akwa Ibom people when it is up and running.
“What we are going to be looking at is zero waste, in the sense that anything that is generated would be found useful and of course, the final point of separation in this particular case is organic fertilizer and recycled plastics into a number of other products. The value chain arising from the establishment of this is going to be such that we have a number of young people coming in to have their own small scale recycling plants arising from the products that will be separated from the solid waste. And it something that His Excellency is looking forward to, generating employment for our people,” Dr Essien explained.
Dr. Essien also said that the project would inadvertently improve government Internally Generated Revenue and will also ensure that the state is aligned with the principle of the green economy in the efforts to mitigate climate change.
He further disclosed that P and A Environmental Solutions is coming in to make an investment of N22 billion, with a target to set up municipal solid waste management plants in Uyo, Eket and Ikot Ekpene.
Speaking after the event, the Managing Director of P & A Environmental Solutions Limited, Engr. Ned Jessup disclosed that the contract is for 25 years and that an estimate of about 3, 000 people will be employed by his organization.
He promised to abide by the terms of the agreement and assured that good value and technical services would be generated.
In attendance were the Commissioner of Finance, Mr. Linus Nkan, Former Minister of Environment, Mrs. Helen Esuene, Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Barr. Uwemedimo Nwoko, Chairman Foreign Direct Investment, Mr. Gabriel Ukpe and the Permanent Secretary SSG’s office, Mrs. Eno Offiong, among others.
