GAIA Nigeria kicks off three-day workshop on plastic pollution

Civil society under the aegis of Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternative (GAIA) Nigeria, on Wednesday 7 October 2020, kicked-off a three-day workshop in Lagos on plastic pollution crisis in the country.

The workshop, organized in collaboration with Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADev Nigeria) and Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE) aims to connect the various GAIA and #breakfreefromplastic members in the country; educate, orient, synergize and enable NGOs to provide updates and promote information sharing on priority areas of opportunities and address how GAIA members can coordinate towards developing national action plans on the plastic policy.

Essentially, the workshop also seek to have a clear understanding of the gap in the area of plastic waste management policy which has been lingering for too long and how the NGOs can catalyse the process towards its implementation.

Executive Director, SRADev Nigeria, the co-host of the workshop, Dr. Leslie Adogame, said members would draw and action plan on single use plastic menace, added that the workshop would also enable civil society to broker synergy between the government and private sector on the plastic pollution crisis.

Adogame, in his presentation on ‘Plastic in Nigeria: Implications on Health an Environment’, said Nigeria is among the top ten countries producing the largest amount of mismanaged plastic waste. He added that a dozen of African countries have banned single use of plastic.

Deputy Director, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mr. Oladipo J.O, congratulated the civil society group, adding that plastic management is very important to the Nigeria economy. He disclosed that the National Policy on plastic has been transmitted to the Federal Executive Council for approval.

In his goodwill message, Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Lagos State, Mr. Tunji Bello, represented Mr. Adeoye Babajide, a Director in the Ministry said plastic is a burning issue not only in Nigeria but across the world. He said the state government is working to address the issue as it affects free flow of water in drainages in the state leading flooding.

He said the current crisis cannot be allowed to linger, adding “we are working on apolicy that will ensure proper management of plastic”.

Erudite scholar and a distinguished Professor of Chemistry, Babajide Alo of University of Lagos, in his good will message expressed delight on the initiative of GAIA Nigeria to address plastic pollution. He described it as a welcome development that will raise awareness about plastic.

He said through the advocacy, the National Policy on plastic waste of the government will see the light of the day.

Chibueze Ebii of Heinrich Boll Foundation, Abuja said the Foundation is looking for people to work to address the plastic crisis.

The three-day workshop themed: “Addressing plastic pollution in Nigeria-Civil Society Perspective’ also utilizes the virtual platform to reach other participants across the world. The event which continues on Thursday with a field visit to plastic hotspots in Lagos and other places will end on Friday.