The Lagos State Government, on Wednesday, reiterated its commitment to creating more jobs through recycling, refurbishing, and reusing used materials.
Speaking at the Lagos Circular Economy Hotspot on Wednesday at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu stressed that his “administration is committed to ensuring that resources are reused again and again in order to minimize waste.”
“Circular economy is a model of production and consumption which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as many times and for as long as possible.
“In a city like Lagos, we believe that this initiative will create more jobs, as additional innovative production ideas will be needed and extra manpower required to keep materials in the loop for a long time.
“Therefore, the teeming population will be profitably and sustainably engaged, expanding the philosophy for an even greater mega city,” the governor added.
Sanwo-Olu emphasized that his government was committed to ensuring that resources were reused in order to minimize waste.
He added, “Our linear approach to delivering public goods and services shall be re-evaluated and the principles of circular economy shall be adopted fully.”
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Omobolaji Gaji, said the ideas of the circular economy “are strongly anchored on the concept of restorative practices, in which waste becomes a resource and efficiency is the rule.”
He enjoined participants to join him “to challenge the current status quo, seek innovation, and envision a future where growth and sustainability coexist, where the economy and the environment coexist.”