By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
Over 200 participants have been trained in Abuja on how diesel and furniture could be produced from used tyres by the Automobile and Touring Club of Nigeria (ATCN), a nongovernmental motorsports organization, NGO ,that promotes motorsports and road safety advocacy in Nigeria.
The training program, which took place at the the Cyprian Ekwensi Arts and Culture Centre, Area 10, Abuja, was anchored by two experts- Umar Yabo and Priscilla Babajide.
The president of Automobile and Touring Club of Nigeria (ATCN), Mr. Isiaku Bamayi, explained that, the program was aimed at raising awareness on the hazards posed by improper disposal of used tyres and to promote a circular economic approach via extended producer responsibility (EPR) to the environmentally sound management of used tyres, which in turn will promote environmental quality an aspect of the environmental pillar of the FIA Sustainability Roadmap.
According to Bamaiyi, “This awareness campaign will also educate Nigerians on the opportunities available for entrepreneurs to create employment and wealth thereby reducing poverty. In essence, there will be training on the uses of waste tyres to develop materials to enhance your knowledge”, he said.
Engr. Chukwudi, an Assistant Director, Plastic sector in the National Environmental Standards and Regulatory Agency (NESREA), who handled the Day one training session, explained that the essence of applying EPR “is not only to control and manage solid waste but to also engage manufacturers to ensure a policy action on how to re-use spent tyres instead of burning them and polluting the environment”.
The president of Association of Erudite Entrepreneurs of Nigeria, Alhaji Ibrahim Umar, said, “the advocacy helps us to understand that Tyre burning is a problem in terms of environmental hazards”.
Hon. Billy Nwoye, the Managing Director of Used Tyres Producers Responsibility Organisation of Nigeria (UT-PRON), charged the participants to ensure that they take advantage of the entrepreneurial opportunities and tips the training would give to them while the principal technical officer of the VIO, Mr. Moses Daniel, commended ATCN for the advocacy programme.
The participants, who similarly took part in a street rally as part of the programme, were presented with certificates of participation at the end of the event.
