By Christiana Ekpa
The House of Representatives on Wednesday mandated its Committee on Environment to investigate the abandonment of the Ilile/Ohaji Community Waste Recycling Centre in Imo State.
The House committee is expected to ensure the completion of the centre and report within eight weeks for further legislative action.
The House decision followed a motion on the Need to Revive the Multi-Million Naira Waste Recycling Center Abandoned by the Federal Ministry of Environment in Ilile Ohaji Community in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State by Hon. Kingsley Chima Uju.
Moving the motion, the Lawmaker noted that the Federal Government in its efforts to help manage domestic and industrial wastes in the country by modern-day waste recycling technology, spent millions of naira to build and equip two industrial standard waste recycling centres in Imo State and Katsina State respectively.
“Worried that after spending millions of naira to build and install equipment, the recycling centres are being abandoned, hence defeating the good initiative of the Federal Government and leaving the environment to be ravaged by unmanaged wastes.
It also worried that the security of the recycling center has been abandoned to the mercy and personal efforts of Ilile Ohaji Community leadership, with the cooperation of the contractor who built the facility, hence the need to commission the project to serve its purposes.
The House was convinced that the recycling centres can also be very lucrative sources of revenue to the Federal Government if properly managed and made accessible to companies and businessmen who earn livings from metal and plastic recycling businesses.
It also noted that the choice to build one in Ilile Ohaji Community in Imo State cannot be unconnected with the geographical position of the community which is equidistant to the South-East and South South States, where lots of industrial wastes are generated.
The House said it was aware that both domestic and manufacturing activities, especially from oil exploratory activities generate lots of wastes including toxic wastes which can drastically affect human and aquatic lives in the oil regions, hence the exigency of the recycling centre.
It was also aware that inability of the oil companies to properly manage their wastes have led to the destructions of lives and properties and consequently led to several lawsuits against the oil companies.
The House said the gesture by the Federal Government to build such recycling centres was a step in the right direction and meant to ensure that waste are considerably managed to save lives and protect the environment for the healthy living of the citizens.
