Lagos Dey Find Investors for Waste-to-Energy and Climate Change Projects

Lagos State government don talk say dem ready to work with investors for areas like turning waste to energy, waste to wealth, and how to manage liquid waste well. Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources for the state, Tokunbo Wahab, talk this one when he show face as one of the panellists for Harvard University Climate Action Week, wey theme be: “Rising Seas, Resilient Communities, Climate Adaptation Strategies in West Africa.” According to am, the current government for Lagos don already prepare one climate adaptation plan and climate resilience plan wey go carry the state vision and policies for front. He talk say dem don already do two pre-feasibility studies on how to turn waste to energy and how to manage wastewater, just to show say dem serious about the matter. Wahab talk say Lagos wey get more than 20 million people dey produce about 13,000 metric tonnes of waste every day, and because of that, dem dey try find better way to manage waste wey go help the environment and no go cause harm. He talk say Lagos dey see waste now as something wey fit be useful not just rubbish. The Commissioner talk say as Lagos be coastal city, e dey exposed to plenty problems from climate change like sea level rise, heavy rain, and hot weather. All these things dey cause flash flood, especially when water no fit pass enter the proper drainage because of tidal lock.

He talk say as government wey dey responsible, Lagos don put strong drainage system for ground and still dey fight people wey dey build house for flood area or drainage line. “We dey even arrest and prosecute people wey dey spoil the ecosystem on purpose,” he talk. “We dey do our own part, and we dey always tell people make dem no dey throw waste for drainage because e go cause flood.” Wahab come complain say aerial information don show say Lagos original land size wey be 3,577 square metres don increase reach 4,050 square metres because people dey reclaim wetlands and lagoon areas to build estate and real estate projects. He talk say the state dey use law to stop people wey dey overdo things for this area. Anybody wey wan reclaim land must collect Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval first. And for the application, the person must also show drainage master plan to explain how the rainwater from the new land go take flow well enter river or water body.