KDSG to begin house-to-house waste collection in November – Commissioner
((L-R MD, ZL Global Alliance, Abiola Bashorun, Commissioner, MENR, Balarabe Giwa and MD KEPA at one of refuse spots in Zaria))
//Environment: Godwin Ekosin, Kaduna//
Commissioner, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria, Shehu Balarabe Giwa on Thursday hinted that the state government through waste collector company, ZL Global Alliance will begin house to house waste collection come November 1st, 2016 across the state.
The Commissioner, who revealed this in Zaria in continuation of assessment tour of waste collection facilities said, the development became necessary considering zero tolerance policy to dirty environment of state government under the administration of Governor NASIR El-Rufai.
In his own words, “As you can see for yourself, we are impressed with what we are seeing here in Zaria. The company is doing its best and that is responsible for this. We are proud to associate ourselves as a government with ZL Global Alliance as a company managing the solid waste in Kaduna state.
“We want the company to continue with this workable strategy that will make Kaduna cleaner even than Abuja and we are already on that course with establishment of both the transfer stations and dumping sites across the three geopolitical zones”.
On salaries of waste collectors, he said, “considering the target of the state government and modus operandi of these workers, it is just natural to ensure prompt payment of their salaries to keep the flag flying. We have about 6,000 of them currently engaged across the state and the state government is not relenting to pay their salaries promptly and providing them with other incentives that will serve as lubricant for them.
“The State government and ZL Global Alliance are working round the clock to see how we can effectively and economically manage solid waste in the state to the benefit of our great people. Very soon by first day of November, we are going to kick start house-to-house waste collection programme where the cooperation of everyone residing or visiting Kaduna is paramount because cleaner, greener and healthier society begins with individual.
Managing Director, ZL Global Alliance, Abiola Bashorun said the strategy her company has employed is the same across the state which is encouragement of people to contain their waste in sacks from the generating point for easy evacuation.
According tob her, “we are going extra mile to get things done here. We deploy more resources in terms of money and personnel though it is the same strategy we have been using in Kaduna, Kafanchan and Zaria and I guess the one in Zaria is just more visible because Zaria peculiarity is different from that of Kaduna which is more of industrial city generating higher tons of solid waste.
“We are saying contain the waste from the source and reduce the ancient waste dumping. Once this is done, the culture start to move from house to house. We are just encouraging people to put their waste in sacks which will in the long run help all of us along the value chain”, she added.