The British Government has given a seal of approval for more foreign investments in Lagos State, as plans get underway for the take-off of the first waste to energy plant in the state.
Deputy British High Commissioner in Nigeria Mr. Ben Llewellyn Jones gave the official nod when he spoke at Igando refuse dumpsite after a guided tour of facilities of West African ENRG, alongside state officials led by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello.
He said: “Although some people think about Nigeria and investments and look the other way, we say ‘look this way’. We will help you and it is a real opportunity here as it is being demonstrated today and even opportunities to grow beyond even what is being achieved now which is so fantastic.
“It is absolutely outstanding what is being achieved, using British technology, finance and real great Nigerian drive and expertise to create something special that is really going to grow and grow,” the diplomat added.
He expressed his concerns about issues such as climate change, pollution, blocking of drainage with plastics and other wastes, but hailed West African ENRG waste conversion facility for its work so far.
Bello, welcoming the team, said the quest of West African ENRG to move from waste to wealth to establish the first waste to energy facility speaks volume about the conducive business atmosphere in Lagos.
Bello, who was with the Permanent Secretary, Environmental Services, Mrs. Belinda Odeneye and Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) Managing Director, Ibrahim Odumboni, said West African ENRG came to Lagos in 2014, had its waste conversion plant unveiled by the then Governor Babatunde Fashola in 2015, adding: “The company now plans to set up a waste to energy plant.”
“There were some intervals of difficulties we have now successfully. Now, we have been able to restore all that they started with. They have also improved on a lot of things. You must have observed during the inspection today a lot of conversion processes from waste to plastics, rubber, cans and bottles,” Bello said.
He said from the brief and visual clips on the proposed waste to energy project presented by West African ENRG, it is clear that if the organisation gets more enablement, it will make further progress in waste conversion.
