The Adamawa government and the World Bank have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to construct a recycling plant in Yola as part of efforts to tackle plastic pollution.

Muhammed Muhammad, commissioner for environment and natural resources development, made this known in an interview on Friday in Yola.

According to Mr Muhammad, the plant, when completed, will support efforts toward having a cleaner and healthier environment for residents of the state.

“We have concluded plans to install a recycling plant that will harvest plastic waste across the state and convert it into useful products.

“Some of the items to be recycled include chairs, beds, interlock tiles, among others,” he said.

He said that although the project was initially sited in Gombi Local Government Area, poor roads and an epileptic power supply necessitated its relocation to Yola, the state capital.

The commissioner also said that the government was engaging major beverage producers, including Adamawa Beverages and Coca-Cola, to promote the use of paper-based packaging as a sustainable alternative.

“We are encouraging manufacturers to shift from plastic to eco-friendly materials in order to reduce environmental impact,” he added.

Mr Muhammad said that the ministry had commenced the registration and regulation of waste management operators across the state to ensure proper and safe waste disposal practices.

He said that all waste handlers had been summoned, profiled, and directed to dump refuse only at designated government-approved sites.

He cautioned against the use of children in waste collection and recycling activities, stressing that the government would not tolerate child labour in the sector.

Highlighting some achievements of the ministry, Mr Muhammad said that the state had reintroduced monthly sanitation exercises, banned indiscriminate tree felling, and trained women in the production of eco-friendly cooking briquettes.

He said that the waste-to-wealth initiative reflected the commitment of the Governor Ahmadu Fintiri-led administration to build a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable Adamawa.

(NAN)