Waste Management; A Potential Source Of Job Creation In Nigeria.

Over the years, waste management has never been embraced in a civilized way in Nigeria. The Nigerian government both past and present has never employed facilities to promote a favourable and level playing ground for prospective investors. Apart from keeping the nation clean, waste collection or management is a viable business opportunity for any investor.

Waste management has the potential to create at least 5,000 job opportunities in each state - this ranges from the collection of the waste, its transportation to various collection point, the recycling and the marketing of its end product. In addition, waste management can be a source of foreign investment earner for Nigeria if installed properly. It could also be a major provider of power and fuel for cars in any given state.

An example is Germany, waste collection is a multi-billion dollars investment. This is a serious business; in Germany, there are different bin can for different type of wastes in Germany. There bins for degradable or organic waste, bins for plastics and bins for bottle & ceramics - all these move to different collection point for further recycling.

In UK, human waste is collected generally to produce methane gas that is used for heating during winter and for cooking. The same methane gas is also used to provide electricity - all these system are operated privately with government giving proper regulations to monitor the services rendered by this private establishment.

It is important to note that while the private investors are made viable to explore this expensive commodity, the government is not left behind - the government subsidize the cost of introducing this system and eventually make the cost of this services very cheap for the consumer. One of the ways of subsidizing the cost of this service for the people is by creating the facilities and environment for such operations. Government can also grant cheap loans and lower tax pays for companies that are into green energy as it is done in other countries. Government can also partner with private to provide this service.

Our beloved leaders in Nigeria should promote waste recycling at the grass-root level by educating the ordinary Nigerian the benefits derived from waste management through its state government. State government should also explore the benefits of managing/recycling its waste at the local level.

Already some state in the south-south have spear headed this project. In Cross - River State there is a sound waste management in existence; although they are not exploring this to provide power and fuel for the members of this state. I believe the Governor of Cross - Rivers State will have a lot to benefit when he employ policies that will promote waste recycling.

Also in Rivers State, the Governor of the state is already sensitizing her citizenry the importance of farmyard manure and how they will be using this to provide not only employment for her people, also to generate electricity for more business to come into Rivers State.

Already a private company is spear heading a private mini-refinery for algae oil: this same company has a recent technology that is providing steady cooking gas (methane) and electricity for 50 blocks of detached duplex in Rivers State; with the help of human waste and farmyard manure.

I believe that government should enact policies that will promote proper waste management, and also impose serious fines or penalties for any offenders all over the nation; this will help improve waste management just like Cross - Rivers State.