The Managing Director of the Anambra State Waste Management Authority (ASWAMA), Sir. Mike Ozoemena says
empty plastic bottles once tossed aside after a party have become someone’s daily bread.
Angel Network News (ANN) reports that
Ozoemena while commending the effects of Governor Chukwuma Soludo and supported by private investors, maintained that Anambra State is experiencing a quiet revolution; as plastic waste has become a path to survival, dignity and empowerment.
“The impact is already visible as streets are now cleaner, rivers flowing freely, and children no longer wade through piles of plastic to reach school.
The ASWAMA boss describes the effort as part of a broader plan to position Anambra as a model for a circular economy in Nigeria.
ANN recall that just a few years ago, plastic waste littered the streets and gutters of the state’s towns and villages, blocking waterways and triggering devastating floods during the rainy season, but today, that same plastic is a commodity so valuable that in some communities, it is now scarce.
For Mrs Eucharia Nwachukwu, a civil servant and widow in Awka, discarded plastic is now a lifeline, adding that while working at the office, she collects used sachet water bags and PET bottles each day to supplement her salary, turning what was once waste into steady income.
Entrepreneurs like Mr Felix Eze and Mrs Eunice Onuegbu have gone a step further; as they run a plastic collection center in Awka, buying waste from residents and reselling to recycling plants within and outside the state.
The business has transformed their family’s finances and provided jobs for neighbors and street children who gather bottles and nylon for profit.
