Waste Management Society of Nigeria (WAMASON) has urged investors to tap into huge business potential in waste recycling industry to enhance local economy and create jobs in the country .
Mr Benson Abu, Councillor, Rivers Chapter of the body, made the call during a facility tour of Initiaites PLC, a waste recycling company in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers on Friday.
Abu said the tour was to help broaden the knowledge of members and also avail some science students of University of Port Harcourt and Rivers State School of Health Science and Technology a practical knowledge in their chosen career.
“Whatever we are doing today is actually part of our training to help broaden our scopes as professionals and also to assist our upcoming professionals gain practical knowledge in their chosen career.
“Today we have eight students here with us and we are proud that the younger generation will indeed move waste management/recycling to an advanced business stage.
“The essence of this tour is to further equip us in the industry so that when were are talking about the ‘waste to wealth’ initiative, we will be doing so authoritatively.
“Initiates PLC is really doing well, it is indeed one of our cooperate members that we can always rely on in terms of shared knowledge.
“The waste to wealth’ industry may presently not top gainers list on the stock exchange but can achieve that in future as it is a growing industry that is stable, having huge employment opportunity for our teeming youth,” he said.
Responding, Mr Ossai Ruben, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Initiates PLC, welcomed the body and tasked the visiting students to take advantage of the facility to appreciate inherent opportunity in the waste management industry.
“Today everybody is talking about a circular economy which is the process of recycling waste into other economically viable materials.
“It’s important that man begins to exist in an economic ecosystem where the waste of one man is a resource or raw material to another producer.
“Our position as waste managers is to be able to close the wide gap between disposables and the raw materials circle.
“This takes care of either extending the life of any given used material or re -injecting it back into society,” he said.
Miss Naomi Nwibani, a final year student of the Department of Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt on behalf of student beneficiaries of the tour, thanked the tour organisers and Initiates PLC for an opportunity to share in practical knowledge.
“In addition to lectures and class works, this facility tour has brought us close as to having more realistic overview of waste management, industrial machineries/equipment for a profitable business in the sub sector.
“We will leverage on this exposure to achieve career excellence that will prepare us for more challanging task of contributing to economic growth,” she said.
