By Funmi Olasupo

The Kogi State government last week, unveiled plans to build a solid waste recycling plant worth $85 billion to help curtail the myriad of environmental challenges facing the state.

The proposed plant with has a capacity of 225, 000 tonne annually, would be built in partnership with Cana Resources Nigeria Limited.

Vanguard Homes and Property gathered that the plant will use solid waste to produce energy, organic fertilizers and other bye products.

Minister of Environment, Mrs. Laurentia Mallam who is bothered by the insanitary environmental conditions in the country and the attendant problems that arise from them,  said the project would be the first of its kind in Nigeria and Africa at large.

Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony of the plant which was also used to commemorate the 2014 National Environmental Sanitation Day, NESD, Mrs. Mallam said when completed, wastes would be turned into wealth at the plant.

On the theme of this year’s NESD – My Environment, My Health, the Minister said it was chosen to highlight the fact that illnesses such as malaria, cholera, typhoid fever and scabies, occur because of poor environmental practices.

She called on all state governors in the country to emulate the Kogi State government, by building waste recycling plants in their respective States.

“Development is coming to the area where the factory will be sited as this is being done for the benefit of the people… Environmental health problems can be effectively brought under control by instituting effective collaborative measures at Federal, State and Local Government levels through the development and empowerment of environmental health units nationwide,” she stated.

Responding, Kogi State Governor, Capt. Idris Wada said the sensitisation program is significant, particularly at this period of the year when a lot of unhealthy materials are moved around and dispersed indiscriminately as a result of rain fall and the attendant debris and storm water that flow along with rain water.

Aside from providing a clean environment for Kogi State, the governor said the plant would provide employment for people of the region.

Wada described the effort of the state to produce a recycling plant as noble and assured the CANA Resources Limited of the safety of its investment. He charged other investors to take advantage of the enabling environment provided by the state to invest in the State.

The Governor described the plant technology as unique adding that it would help check the major problem of waste coming from homes and other areas to create wealth.