The Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) in Edo State has encouraged residents of the state to embrace its plastic waste recycling scheme to curb indiscriminate waste disposal, especially plastic, aluminium and other non-degradable materials. The Coordinator of Edo NEWMAP, Dr. Tom Obaseki, made the call during an address to stakeholders at a one-day training workshop on the pilot deployment of the “Pick and Sell” Android App. Dr. Tom Obaseki said the unique model, when fully deployed, will make Edo one of the first states to deploy the tech-enabled scheme in the country.
He noted that the software will enable NEWMAP preserve physical infrastructure constructed for erosion and flood control, which requires enormous public resources. Addressing participants at the workshop, which comprise NEWMA Community Interest Groups (CIGs) and other stakeholders, Obaseki said most of the newly constructed drainages and ponds are all within their domains and residences, and as such they should not allow plastic and other non-degradable materials clog them. He said it was necessary to tackle the menace posed by waste to NEWMAP infrastructure by plastic so that the essence of committing public resources to the infrastructure investment would not be defeated.
