Photo caption: Director-General, MAN, Segun Ajayi-Kadir
By Charles Okonji
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), has commended the Ogun State Government on its proactive and sustainable approach to managing plastic waste, especially single use plastics in the state.
According to the statement issued by the Director-General of the Association, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, the government’s initiatives aimed at reducing plastic waste, promoting recycling, and ensuring a cleaner environment.
The D-G, noted that the resolve of the Ministry to partner with manufacturers and other operators in the plastic value chain to advance its waste to wealth initiative.
He averred that these efforts align with MAN’s commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible manufacturing practices.
In his remarks, the Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, highlighted “plastics for cash” and “blue box” initiatives as subsets of their sustainable approach to manage waste and convert same to wealth in the state.
“While the Plastics for Cash program enables residents to exchange sorted plastic waste for monetary value or goods, creating income opportunities for youth, women, and informal waste collectors; the Blue Box initiative promotes structured house-to-house waste separation and collection, driven by the Ogun State Waste Management Authority.
“To strengthen these initiatives, Ogun State has constituted a Plastic Management Committee made up of regulatory agencies, manufacturers, and academic institutions.
“This Committee is responsible for promoting the implementation of EPR guidelines as defined by the National framework to support plastic buy-back programmes and job creation along the recycling value chain. This is coming against the backdrop of recent developments in Lagos State with the disingenuous ban of production and use of single use plastics. Rather than sudden and outright ban, progressive strategies that balance environmental sustainability with economic stability should be adopted.
“In Egypt, collaborative efforts between the government and social enterprises like Banlastic focus on education, community clean-ups, and recycling plastic waste. Ghana has embraced plastic-to-construction innovation, with companies like Nelplast transforming waste into affordable building materials. Similarly, the United States is pursuing a national recycling plan and innovation challenge to improve plastic recovery, design, and energy efficiency.
“These models focus on circularity and not prohibition. As an advocacy organisation, MAN has cautioned against the ban and called for a more sustainable and beneficial approach to manage waste, similar to the one Ogun State has adopted. To this end, we urge all stakeholders in the management of waste and the protection of the environment to leverage the commendable initiative of the Ministry of Environment in Ogun State.” He maintained.
Calliing on Lagos State to adopt same approach, Ajayi-Kadir said, Lagos should redirect its focus towards building an inclusive, data-backed, and economically viable waste management system rather than imposing a blanket ban that risks widespread job losses, especially among SMEs, informal waste workers, and women-led businesses.
“Just as the State already has several commendable frameworks and pilot programmes such as the smart bins initiative, and the Blue box, it should revive and fully implement them and contribute meaningfully to addressing plastic waste.
“Sustainable solutions must be rooted in stakeholder engagement, scalable alternatives, and enabling infrastructure. The approach should not punish productivity but guide it towards circularity.
“MAN remains committed to supporting collaborative, inclusive environmental policies that protect both people and the planet Ajayi-Kadir states that the Association believes that effective waste management is crucial for public health, environmental protection, and economic development.
“The Association looks forward to continued collaboration with the Ogun State Government to promote sustainable practices and address environmental challenges. We are convinced that the plastic pollution crisis is primarily a result of poor waste management infrastructure and enforcement and not the material itself.
“We should aspire to achieve progressive waste management that leads to wealth and job creation, and not adopt simplistic waste management measures that drag industrialization and lead to needless impoverishment,” he stressed.
