The Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria has called for stronger partnerships and structured training frameworks to address skill gaps in construction, demolition and disaster waste management across the country.

The national president of AWAMN, Olugbenga Adebola, made the call on Thursday in Lagos.

Mr Adebola spoke against the backdrop of the Green Waste Remediation and Recycling Vocational Training workshop held recently in Lagos.

The workshop was organised by the Lagos Waste Management Authority in collaboration with the European Union on construction and demolition waste.

He noted that the workshop was timely, given the growing need for technical expertise to handle construction, demolition, and disaster waste, collectively known as CDDW.

According to him, Lagos generates significant volumes of disaster waste due to frequent building collapses, making it necessary to broaden the scope beyond construction and demolition waste alone.

“It is not just construction and demolition waste; we must also include disaster waste. Lagos, in particular, produces a lot of this due to recurring building collapses,” he said.

He expressed the association’s commitment to continued collaboration with LAWMA, the European Union and other stakeholders to enhance vocational and technical capacity in the waste management sector.

He disclosed that the association was developing a Waste Management Resource Centre that would serve as a hub for research, data, and training.

According to him, the centre, to be housed in the association’s new secretariat building, will serve as a repository of knowledge on waste management in Nigeria and across Africa.

“The facility will support research activities, including work by international scholars, and provide access to data and information on waste management practices,” he said.

He added that the association was seeking partnerships with international organisations, including the European Union, to support the establishment and operation of the centre.

The AWAMN president further called for stronger federal government involvement to create an enabling environment for effective nationwide waste management.

(NAN)