The British Government over the weekend gave a seal of approval for more foreign investments in Lagos, as plans get underway for the take-off of the first waste to energy plant in the State.
The Deputy British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr. Ben Llewellyn Jones, gave the official nod when he spoke at Igando Refuse Dumpsite after a guided tour of facilities of the West African ENRG, alongside State officials, led by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello.
In his words: “Though some people think about Nigeria and investments and look the other way, we say ‘look this way’. We will help you and it is a real opportunity here as it is being demonstrated today and even opportunities to grow beyond even what is being achieved now, which is so fantastic”.
“It is absolutely outstanding what is being achieved using British technology, finance and real great Nigerian drive and expertise to create something special that is really going to grow and grow”, the diplomat added.
Jones reiterated that so many issues of climate change, the challenge of pollution, challenge of drainage, and of plastics getting into the drains cropped up at the site but are being solved by the West African ENRG waste conversion facility, which is so impressive.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello, while welcoming the team, said the quest of West African ENRG to move from waste-to-wealth to establishing the first waste-to-energy facility speaks volumes about the conducive business atmosphere in Lagos.
Bello, who was with the Permanent Secretary, Environmental Services, Mrs. Belinda Odeneye, and LAWMA MD, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, said West African ENRG came to Lagos in 2014 and had its waste conversion plant unveiled by Governor Fashola in 2015, saying the company now plans to set up a waste-to-energy plant.
“There were some intervals of difficulties, that we have now successfully overcome. Now, we have been able to restore all that they started with. They have also improved a lot of things. You must have observed during the inspection today a lot of conversion processes from waste to plastics, rubber, cans and bottles”, Bello stated
The Commissioner said from the brief and visual clips on the proposed waste-to-energy project presented by West African ENRG, it is clear that if the organisation gets more enablement, it would make further progress in waste conversion.
