ONDO STATE WINS A 10 YEAR EUROPEAN UNION/UNITED NATIONS 10 YEARS GRANT ON CIRCULAR ECONOMY DEVELOPMENT
The Ondo State Government, through the State Environmental Protection Agency (OSEPA) has just bagged a 10 year European Union/United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) 10 Years Grant on Circular Economy Development.
This special grant won for Ondo State, is a testament to the achievements of the Ondo State Environmental Protection Agency (OSEPA), within the few years of its resuscitation.
It is worthy of note that OSEPA has strengthened institutional partnership both locally and internationally. OSEPA, through its annual Summit on Plastic Pollution and Management has brought the European Union (EU)/United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to Ondo State for the first time since the creation of the State and the International Organizations have deemed it fit to promote Small Hydro-power Development and Circular Economy approaches in Ondo State.
Earlier this year, Ondo State was enlisted among the eight (8) States in Nigeria to participate in the UNIDO/EU Assessment Survey/Competition aimed to select just four (4) States for promotion of Small Hydro-power Development and Circular Economy.
The overall objective of the project is to contribute to improved access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all and promote circular economy practices to combat pollution, climate change and its impacts. Furthermore, the programme has a package for training of a section of relevant professionals which will hitherto add to the building of capacity of the Public Servants.
To achieve this lofty goal, the State Project Policy Implementation Team [SPPIT] headed by the Administrative Secretary of OSEPA, Princess Korede Giwa was inaugurated to work for the successful final selection of Ondo State. The Implementation Team then worked assiduously on the required documents/checklists such as; the regulations, policies, extant laws and standards and submitted them to UNIDO.
The SPPIT also liaised with operators of industries, commercial and business premises, Artisan Groups, Academia, Innovators and Inventors within and outside the State to develop reliable data that was submitted to the international body for further evidences and project justifications.
As part of its avowed commitment to ensure a clean and healthy environment in the State, the Ondo State Environmental Protection Agency (OSEPA) has been at the fore front of combating the menace of plastic pollution in the State. Plastic pollution has been one of the major environmental problems of the 21st Century.
The world’s dependence on single use plastic has been a major contributory factor to the volume of non- degradable items polluting the environment, thereby posing great danger to humans and animals on land and wanton destruction of marine and aquatic creatures as well as the Blue Economy. OSEPA has been holding an Annual Summit tagged “OSEPA Summit on Plastic Pollution and Management” to address plastic pollution in the State.
Speaking on the latest development, the Hon. Commissioner for Environment Hon. Oyeniyi Oseni appreciated Mr. Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa for providing an enabling environment for OSEPA to operate.
The Commissioner also praised OSEPA for its capacity at building institutional partnership with National and International Organizations, including United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), The German Government, the European Union (EU), Food and Beverages Recycling Alliance (FBRA) etc;
In similar vein, the Special Adviser to Mr. Governor on Environment, Hon. Adeyemi Olayemi congratulated His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Ondo State on this great feat achieved by OSEPA for Ondo State Government to benefit from the laudable projects of the United Nations.
Hon. Olayemi also appreciated the Administrative Secretary of OSEPA, Princess Korede Giwa and other members of the SPPIT Team for its holistic approach which include; the development of various policy documents, data gathering and storage, constant meetings of the State Project Policy Implementation Team (SPPIT), regular visits of the Team to various organizations, groups and private bodies both within and outside the State etc, which cumulatively won the grant for Ondo State.
