Connected Development (CODE) initiative, a Nonprofit Organisation has donated two recycling stands for disposal of plastic waste to two secondary schools in Imo.
Our correspondent reports that CODE, with support from OXFAM Nigeria, donated the stands to the civic clubs of the Imo Government Girls Secondary School and the Owerri Girls Secondary School, during its pet project hackathon and recycling project in Owerri, on Monday.
The stands are part of CODE’s ‘Power of Voices Partnership – Fair for All’ project, targeted at students in the component states of Akwa Ibom, Imo, Cross River, Rivers, Delta and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
CODE’s Programme Officer, Mr Abdulaziz Useni, said the initiative was aimed at giving a voice to the voiceless and environmental sustainability.
Useni said that CODE was conducting continuous awareness campaigns across the states on environmental waste management and on building a circular economy, as well as providing support for students to undergo training on how to turn waste materials into usable items.
He expressed hope that with this initiative, CODE would be raising young champions who will support in addressing the issues of plastics waste management, environmental protection and climate change.
“ We can pick our recyclable bottles from our homes and communities where there are no recycle stands and bring them to our school where we have the stand.
“ When each stand gets filled up, recycling companies can take the bottles at a cost , thus generating revenue for the civic club which can further be reinvested in other environment-friendly initiatives “, he said.
He urged government and relevant stakeholders to partner with CODE for a scale-up to all schools in the state, as according to him, environmental sustainability is a business for everybody.
Also speaking, the Matron, Civic Club of the Imo Government Girls College, Mrs Prisca Obiako, said that the club was excited to receive the stands and thanked CODE for thinking toward the school while promising to put the stands to their best use.
Also, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Airy Plastic Recycling, an Owerri based recycling company, Mr Ikechukwu Onyenweaku, said that the recycling of plastic waste reduces the spate of flooding as drainages are less blocked.
He added that plastic waste recycling saves the atmosphere from pollution resulting from burning and urged the state’s Ministry of Environment to seek ways to enforce proper plastic waste disposal practices. Our correspondent reports that over 200 students from the benefitting schools act as civic champions to promote leadership, good governance and climate justice through the civic club.