The Osun State government on Monday signed a partnership agreement worth $450 million with an American company on waste management.

The Memorandum of Understanding between the state government and the American Green Environmental Global Solutions ‎Nigeria Limited, which was signed to render services on turning wastes to consumables, took place at the Governor’s Office, Osogbo.

The partnership will create jobs, expand the economy, create a new dynamic economy in tourism and as well keep the environment clean.

Signing the MoU, the President of America Green Environmental Solution Nigeria Limited (AGEGS), Patrick Onyeije ‎disclosed that the machineries and building as regards the planned projects will take eight to 12 weeks to be fully on ground.

Onyeije, who is also President of Green Environmental Services of America (GESA), explained that the first phase of the projects will cost $250 million‎, assuring that the company was ready to commence operation soonest.

Onyeije, who was represented by one of the top officials of the of company, ‎Major Samuel Adewumi (rtd), said the partnership would help to improve the economy of the state as waste would be collected from tenants and homes and recycled for valuable products such as tissue papers, plastics and organic manure (fertiliser) for farmers.

Onyeije said with the partnership, a new era had begun in Osun State on effective and efficient waste management.

He further said: “Today marks a great ‎and important historical beginning in the epilogues and annals of captivating history of our people in the State of Osun. By accepting the arduous but admirable responsibility to take care of our environment is a lofty ideal to behold and as such a new day is born.

“We are here to change the story on the environment with the enunciation of these wonderful projects of garbage and sewage collection.

“It is befitting that the State of Osun has been selected to lead the rest of the country towards an evolutionary approach of reclaiming our environment. One thing that we all have taken for granted right from the time we were born to the time we die is our environment.

“Today marks a new beginning as we take the solemn commitment to protect our environment. We have to do our little best not to litter the streets but to recycle everything coming out of our homes and working places. Every household will purchase various containers from AGEGS for different ‎items from the household for which they can recycle.

“These containers will be picked up from your homes on designated days of the week and may include weekends as the need may arise.

“On behalf of Green Environmental Services of America (GESA) and America Green Environmental Global Solution Nigeria Limited (AGEGS), we say a big thank you to the government of the state of Osun.

“It is with great pleasure and gratitude that we have accepted to begin these great projects here in Osun. This amazing state, though small but mighty, has the propensity and foresight to always lead the way in innovations as the cradle of ingenuity making the state of Osun the pioneering state for the America Green Environmental Global Solutions in the whole of Nigeria, West Africa and Africa as a whole.

“We are here to create jobs, expand the economy, create a new dynamic economy in tourism and above all, keep your environment clean. We reiterate our gratitude to all our stakeholders locally and abroad and most especially our worthy partners in Government who have shown unparalleled commitment to the success of this project since inception.

“With these projects, the state of Osun has accepted to set an international standard in Nigeria for other states in the country to follow.”

In his remarks, Governor Rauf Aregbesola said the partnership was to complement his administration’s efforts in keeping the environment clean, safe, green and sustainable.

Ogbeni Aregbesola said his administration has never failed in its responsibilities of making the state the safest in Nigeria through its consciousness to environmental preservation and maintenance.

Aregbesola noted that in spite of the present economic challenges confronting the state, what could not be taken away from his administration is the commitment to the environment.

He held that there had been improvement from what his administration met as regards environmental management, a development he said has made the state to be one of those not affected by flood in the country.

According to Aregbesola, “We are not signing this Memorandum of Understanding for fun, but rather to ensure that our efforts at maintaining and keeping our environment safe remains ‎non-negotiable.

“It is on records that one thing that cannot be taken away from our administration is our commitment to the environment. There has been a tremendous improvement from what our environment was before with what we have now.

“We have been very conscious and passionate about the well-being of our people and this made us to commit reasonable resources to environmental sanitation to advance the general well-being of our people, particularly to enhance healthy living.

“It is evident that very few states ‎could compete with us in environmental cleanliness as our state remains the reference point in avoiding opportunistic environmental and public health challenges.

“We have maintained a remarkable standard in environmental sanitation and public health management.”

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