Nigerian Institution of Environmental Engineers Inaugurates New Chairman

….Charges New Leadership On Professionalism

… As Stakeholders Call For Alternative To Waste Management

The Nigerian Institution of Environmental Engineers NIEE, Lagos State chapter has inaugurated it’s first female chairman, Engr. (Mrs.) Abiola Kosegbe.

At an Investiture Ceremony in Lagos, the event also looked at practical solutions to solve the issue of waste management and creation of green economy.

In her inaugural speech, Engr. (Mrs.) Abiola Kosegbe said that engineers play critical role in societal development and must be acknowledged if nation must do rightful things with it’s waste.

She explained that waste management particularly in developing countries, has become an issue of growing global concern as urban populations continue to increase and consumption patter change, stressing for measures to address health and environment implications associated with garbage disposal among others.

“We all agree that a clean environment results in a safe and healthy environment. However, in achieving that healthy environment, there is a need to tap into the economy in order to benefit the teeming population of Lagos and Nigeria.

A sustainable integrated waste management system is such that exploits and optimizes each stage, generation to recovery to reuse, processing and to final disposal.” she said

Engr. Kosegbe who is the 4th chapter Chairman of Nigerian Institution of Environmental Engineers, Lagos, noted that the goal of any society is to achieve “Zero Waste” through all the recovery processes possible, in order to harness the green economy.

She however promised that Nigerian Environmental Engineers would achieve a sustainable environment through it’s active contributions to the development of technologies, particularly under her leadership.

Speaking on the theme of the event: Recovery and co-processing of waste; a catalyst for sustainable green economy and healthy environment, the guest speaker, Mr Daniel Adedokun said that the need for an integrated waste management becomes imperative, for any nation to develop it’s economy and environment.

Adedokun whose paper presentation highlighted opportunities and actions that could mitigate problem impose on public health by improper waste management said that waste management is becoming a problem, but stakeholders must see it’s inherent opportunities.

He said: “If you look at waste, it contains some resources. Those papers and plastics that you see at dump sites contain calorific value and when discussing integrated waste management, we need to look at the whole life cycle of waste. It has to do with how you collect waste.

For instance, some waste don’t need to go to landfill. What we are doing in Nigeria is more of waste dumping. We need to start looking at treatment of waste and from such waste, you remove what is recyclable and the one that is not recyclable, can you combust it. And the only one you can’t combust should go to landfill.”

Adedokun who maintained that there are lots of economic and environmental opportunities in sustaining proper waste management, enjoined countries to pay attention to solid waste management in order enhance quality environment, public health and safety.

The outgoing chairman of the institution, Engr. Olagoke Macaulay was delighted to release the baton to the first woman chairperson to steer the leadership of the institution.

Macaulay explained that though, Lagos state chapter of the institution has impacted positively to improve the environment through lectures, workshops, collaborations with communities, institutions and government functionaries, but more grey areas still needed to be covered.

He therefore solicits support of every members to ensure the institution realise its goals of catering for the professional development of Engineers with interest in environment through the new leadership.

Others at the event canvassed for concerted effort to form synergy with stakeholders on how to increase membership base of the institution, seek legislative and legal backing and called for structures and strategies for municipal waste management.