The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has disclosed that the Ogun State Waste Management Agency, which was recently approved by the State House of Assembly, will be more effective and will increase the revenue drive of government through proper waste management.
Prince Dapo Abiodun, who made this known at the last lap of town hall meetings on the 2020 Budget and Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) 2020-2022 for Ogun Central Senatorial District, held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, said that the decision was arrived at because the state was not gaining from its huge investment in waste management, adding that the State Government opted to send a bill to the State House of Assembly for the creation of the agency.
"We decided to set up what we call the Ogun State Waste Management Agency, because when we came in, we had the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA) in the Ministry of Environment, but we realised the fact that there were gaps, that the agency was not effective. We saw what obtained in other states. We saw how much revenue was being generated from it.
"We were not gaining from it, despite investing in it, so we decided not to reinvest in it. So we sent a bill to the House of Assembly and the House has graciously approved it and we now have the Ogun State Waste Management Agency, which will be headed by an experienced person," he said.
Abiodun also assured the people of the senatorial district that they would begin to see the huge difference in waste management, adding that the success of the new waste management agency will depend on their support.
"You will begin to see the difference in waste management in our big cities. It is going to be a partnership - what we call PSP - so we are not importing anything. It is you that will join hands with us to help the agency succeed," he said.
The governor also hinted that government would be looking at the Physical Planning Ministry, with the aim of introducing reforms that will help ensure better planning of the environment, adding that government would set up a few agencies within the ministry to look at building plans, permits and issues relating to drainages in the state.
"We are looking at the Physical Planning Ministry. We will also be introducing some reforms that will help us ensure that we are better planned, because there is haphazard development all over the whole place. We are going to have different agencies in the Physical Planning Ministry to look at building permits, plans and issues relating to drainages, among other issues," he said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Consultant to the Governor on Budget and Planning, Mr. Olaolu Olabimtan assured the people that government is committed to giving them good governance, adding that the dividends of democracy will be efficiently delivered.
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