Youths in Oyo State have been urged to take up the opportunity in waste recycling as a way to escape from poverty caused by shortage of job opportunities and idleness.
The State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Hon Kehinde Ayoola stated this on Thursday on his visit to some waste recycling factories in Ibadan, the State capital.
Ayoola who was in company of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Bashir Olanrewaju, consultant to the State on waste management, Mrs Ololade Oresanwo of West Africa ENGR and officials of the Ministry.
Ayoola toured recycling plants at Ring Road, OritaAperin Waste-To-Wealth Project site and the Aba Eku central dump site to ascertain the capacity of the plants and possibility of further government support for the private investors in waste recycling.
“As we can all see, the wealth of the nation is no more oil dependent but in areas that we have not been paying attention to before. Today, young Nigerians are making good money from waste recycling while others cringe at the sight of waste, yet we complain of poverty.
“We have to be realistic in what we want and how we go about achieving them. The State administration under Governor Seyi Makinde has looked and found various ways to make youths have enabling environment to thrive in whatever business or enterprise they engage in to reduce poverty and unemployment.
“The capacity to employ is not as buoyant as it used to be by the federal and State governments due to low income from oil, which is the mainstay of Nigeria’s wealth, so we all have to look inward and waste recycling has offered a good opportunity to make money and even employ other youths.
“We shall give support to all willing youths in Oyo State that are ready to establish their own business or be an enterprenuer by continuing to provide the enabling environment.”
The plants visited were producing polythene nylon and other products from recycled pure water sachet and other waste products.
