In June 2018, Nigeria celebrated World Environment Day alongside other countries of the world. The celebration was focused on fighting plastic waste that threatens the lives of humans and animals. The ICIR Reporter, YEKEEN AKINWALE visited Lagos, Osun, Ekiti and Kaduna states where, five years ago, the Federal Government had installed plastic waste recycling plants. His findings reveal the culture of waste sustained by the federal and state governments that has caused ruin to the multi-million naira projects.

TWENTY- six plastic waste recycling plants located in 26 cities across Nigeria, whose contracts the federal government awarded in 2009 to eradicate the problem of plastic waste, are at different stages of deterioration, but the government is oblivious of this fact despite the huge investment on the project, investigations by the ICIR have revealed.

Nigeria is not catching up with the movement to eliminate plastic waste, but the government would like the world to believe otherwise.

At the event marking the 2018 World Environment Day,which focused on eradication of plastic waste, the Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jibril, announced with pride that Nigeria was moving towards eradicating plastic waste with the establishment of recycling plants – perhaps in keeping with Rwanda and South Africa examples: the two countries have banned the use of plastic for packaging and as bags.

“At present, a total of eight plants have already been completed and handed over to the states while 18 others are at various stages of completion,” the minister disclosed at a press conference.

But this statement is grossly inaccurate and the minister seems oblivious of the fact.

Jibril indeed was unaware that the plastic waste recycling plants he said were completed or ongoing, at different locations were wasting away despite the government’s huge investment in the project.

In 2009, the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan awarded the contract for the procurement and installation of 26 multipurpose plastic recycling plants in 26 cities including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Before the end of that administration− the projects, in 2013 were recorded completed and waiting for commissioning in a document prepared by the Ecological Fund Office (EFO) and submitted to the Presidency.

The contract was funded through the EFO whose mandate among others is to reduce ecological problems nationwide to the barest minimum and ensure judicious and equitable utilization of the Fund.

The government awarded the contract at the sum of N15million each to one contractor, Abdul Essentials Services Limited, under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Environment.

The 26 plants which were envisioned to take care of plastic waste in those cities, cost N392 million in total.

When the ICIR reporter visited states like Osun, Ekiti, Lagos and Kaduna, which were among those the government claimed were completed and handed over to state governments, findings reveal typical examples of a culture of waste by both the federal and state government as well as lack of synergy between the tiers of government in project execution and management.

REad more: https://www.icirnigeria.org/investigation-plastic-recycling-plants-project-where-nigeria-can-generate-n504b-a-year-in-ruins/