By Ebenezer Adeniyan
…continued from yesterday’s
It was all pomp when the government of Ondo State signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ZL Global Alliance Ltd early 2018 to begin what was expected to revolutionise waste management in Ondo State. Safe to say the government, in encouraging private sector investment, bought into the too-good-to-be-true promises sold to it by the company.
With the arrangement, which was a reviewed version of the one that did not take off under Mimiko, the company was to spearhead what was to be a N7billion waste management project in Ondo State, which will provide between 5000 and 20000 direct and indirect employment opportunities for youths and generate additional revenue for the government.
READ:
https://punchng.com/firm-establishes-n7bn-waste-management-project-in-ondo/?amp=#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=16968434804035&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com
Under the 5-year concession arrangement (which was drafted by the officials of the Ondo State Investment and Development Promotion Agency, ONDIPA), as signed with the company, the onfield activities of the Ondo State Waste Management Authority would now be handled by the company, which included public waste.
Some of the core features of the concession contract include:
- Establishment of a N7.12b Waste Management project.
- Effective clearing and disposal of public waste and coordination of PSPs for residential waste.
- Provision of between 5000 and 20000 jobs.
- Payment of N60m annual revenue to the State Government, at N5m per month.
- 20 percent share of annual profit made by the company to go to the State Government.
- Management of government’s fleet of equipment and introduction of new/modern equipment in waste management.
Speaking in an interview shortly after the take off of the contract, the Chairman/CEO of ZL Global Alliance Ltd, Mrs. Abiola Bashorun, said: “We are injecting N7 billion. …The overall employment in this contract is 20,000 youths. …The people of Ondo State will enjoy clean, safer and hygienic environment which will lead to healthy living.
“So, under our waste-to-wealth drive, we package waste with which materials are refurbished. We have one in Akure now and we are also building another one in Owo and Ondo towns. …Also, we will reuse domestic waste like eba, rice, garri and others, as we introduce our biogas from dustbin, which we will change to electric fertilizer, while the gas from that composition will create bio fertilizer.”
READ:
https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2018/03/10/abiola-bashorun%E2%80%8B-well-create-5000-jobs-with-ondo-waste-management-%E2%80%8B
However, barely one year into the execution of the contract, the company became overwhelmed and struggled to keep up with the terms of the agreement. The inherited waste casual workers complained of not being paid, smaller private participants refused to operate under the company and public waste began to pile up in major parts of Akure, the State capital.
On September 28, 2019, one public commentator, Mr. Rotimi Ogunleye, wrote on the situation: “From the comments of the people in Akure, the waste management system needs to be reorganised, expanded and with increased monitoring. From what it is at the moment, it has not delivered on its intended mandate. The Waste Management experience could best be described as a failure.”
On December 21, 2019, members of the National Association of Ondo State Students (NAOSS) embarked on voluntary packing of the refuse along the popular Oba Adesida road in Akure. Other organisations soon followed in an attempt to savage the ugly situation. This came just as stakeholders called for urgent intervention from government.
Disturbed by the worrisome situation, rather than cancel its concession contract with ZL Global Alliance, the State government, in January 2021, set up a 7-man Committee “to tackle waste management and other related matters.” Members of the committee included a representative of ZL Global Alliance Ltd.
Among others, the Committee’s terms of reference included “To reform, revamp, restructure and review the present systems, structures and processes driving waste management service delivery in the State, with a view to, if necessary, making relevant adjustments to meet the aspirations of the present administration in the sector.”
READ:
https://newsdiaryonline.com/akeredolu-inaugurates-committee-on-waste-management-in-ondo-state/
In a swift response, members of the committee, after their inauguration, stormed Oba Adesida road and other major parts of Akure on a 3-day mop up operation. The operation saw the removal of dirts from roadsides and other spots hitherto filled with dirts and wastes.
However, a few months later, they system returned to ‘default setting’ and the piles of refuse began to emerge even after the new committee intervened and reviewed the concession arrangement with ZL Global Alliance. As reported in March this year in Punch newspaper, traders struggled to find hygienic environment on major markets and streets in Akure.
READ:
https://punchng.com/epidemic-looms-as-traders-refuse-battle-for-space-in-akure/
When the consession contract was reviewed in line with the demands of the company after complaining of facing many unexpected challenges, the responsibilities of the State government and the company were adjusted.
Under the new arrangement, rather than pay the State government monthly/annual revenue as stated in the initial arrangement, the government would now be paying the company on monthly basis for its public waste management.
…to be concluded
NOTE: Picture above shows members of the National Association of Ondo State Students (NAOSS) packing refuse at Oba Adesida road in Akure in 2019.
