Akwa Ibom to generate electricity, fuel from waste
Port Harcourt -- As a way of reducing dependency on fossil fuel, Akwa Ibom State government has said that modalities are being put in place for the conversion of waste to electricity, fuels, heat, recyclables, valueadded products, and chemicals.
Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency, Prince Akpan Ikim, who disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Uyo, said the state generates over 15,000 tons of waste on a daily basis.
Ikim said the agency has been repositioned to ensure that waste generated in the state are converted to aid power supply and boost the state's revenue base.
He added that the Refuseto-Riches scheme of his agency would create jobs and business opportunities that measured up with global best practices on waste management system.
"With a clear-cut vision, AKSEPWMA integrated workable schemes to maximize the waste-based revenues in the form of energy, fuels, heat, recyclables, value-added products, and chemicals along with more jobs and business opportunities that measured up with global best practices on waste management system.
"To achieve this, a dialogue was imperative, thus. The agency held a maiden stakeholders dialogue - an event that played host to a wide range of professionals, consultants, researchers and stakeholders etc on waste management in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
"Waste in the 21st century is wealth but takes technicalities in the conversion process, for which reason the dialogue was held.
"Akwa Ibom has been launched into a new phase where waste would no longer be seen as refuse or discarded material, but an asset or resource to reduce not only the landfill volumes but also the dependency on fossil fuels by generating cleaner energy.”