In its quest to advance the waste to energy policy of the Governor Ben Ayade administration, the Cross State government has entered into partnership with the French government to convert its wastes to electricity.
Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Publicity, Christian Ita, disclosed this, yesterday, during a presentation by the leader of the team, Ayodeji Okele to Ayade in his conference room at the Government House, Calabar.
Making the presentation in company of a consortium of French companies comprising Gilles Bacquet, GB Consult and Services, Laurent Lambs, Project Manager Serge Experts, Okele, who is Managing Director of Asaju Energy, said they visited Calabar to conduct a feasibility studies on the waste management situation in the state.
He explained that the project was conceived following the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Jerome Pasquier’s recent visit to the state, during which he discussed areas of economic cooperation, including waste management with Ayade.
“We have been discussing the project over a year ago with regard to the waste management situation in Cross River State. And we arrived at doing proper feasibility studies to find out the best solution to the economic viability of the initiative,” he said.
Okele explained that from the project guidelins, the team was expected to develop a sustainable solution for disposal of liquid and solid municipal waste, as well as proffer solutions for electricity generation from the end products.
Okele, who said his team had earlier undertaken an inspection tour of the major dump sites at Lemna to have an idea of the technical and financial basis for the project, stressed that the feasibility studies would take about six months.
Responding, Ayade, appreciated the French Government for the partnership, and urged the consortium to see the project as a life saving intervention and not something to be segmented into periods of research.
“This is not a research, it is a life saving intervention mission and that is why we are here. So, if you approach it from that perspective, your concept of time will become more delicate and sensitive.
“I don’t believe that you need six months to do the feasibility study, because only more effort and time are required. After the feasibility study, I don’t want us to end up with a position statement, which will state that it is a feasible project,” he said.
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