By Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu
Following the move by Anambra State Government to create 5000 jobs through waste recycling, recovery of 100,000 plastics, the Transition Committee Chairman of Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Hon. Chief (Sir) Stanley Nkwoka (Ochendo Idemili), has extolled the Executive Governor of Anambra State Professor Chukwuma Soludo, CFR for the initiative, described it as a right move in the right direction.
The Council Boss who gave the commendation during the flagged-off of the 2024 All Anambra Community Plastic Waste Recovery Challenge 2.0 organized by the Ministry of Environment in collaboration with Anambra State Waste Recyclers Association (ASWRA), held at Jerome Udoji Secretariat, Awka, noted that he would domesticate the Governor's agenda in the whole of Idemili North LGA, stating that he would lead from the front to ensure that the most populous and the densely populated Council Area was rid of plastic waste and dirt.
Ochendo Ndi Youths enjoined the people of Anambra State, especially Umu Idemili to key into the Governor's manifesto of building a liveable, mega, smart and prosperous Anambra State, praising the government for investing in waste recycling, which according to him, would equally continue to safeguard the State against disease outbreak and general wellbeing.
The Transition Committee Chairman commended the Commissioner for Environment Anambra State, Engr. (Dr) Felix Odimegwu for what he had been able to do in the Ministry, saying that he was impressed with the activities and programmes marshalled out by the ex-council Boss.
Earlier, Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, represented by his Deputy, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, while flagging off the exercise, urged the citizenry to become environmental advocates by internalising the habits of managing and disposing waste properly.
The Anambra State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Felix Odimegwu, said the State government was poised to create over 5000 jobs through waste and plastic recycling.
Odimegwu noted that governor Chukwuma Soludo's led administration would recover 100,000 tonnes of plastic waste in 2024.
According to him, the State would through waste recycling sanitise and reclaim the environment from erosion and other ecological challenges threatening the human existence through collaborative efforts of individuals, communities, schools, businesses, institutions, among others.
'This challenge will once again engage our 179 communities in a spirited competition to see the communities that can collect the most plastic waste. It will involve awareness programs, clean-up drives, and innovative solutions to plastic waste management. We will recognize and reward efforts of those communities who go above and beyond in their commitment to a cleaner Anambra.
'The prizes for this year's challenge are one million Naira (First Prize), five hundred thousand Naira (second Prize), and two hundred and fifty thousand Naira (Third Prize). The initiative will create indirect jobs in the industrial and environmental sectors, fostering economic growth while promoting environmental sustainability,' he noted.