By Gabriel Agbeja
Osun State Government says it has leveraged digital tools, data and innovation hubs to fast-track Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) implementation in the state.
Prof. Chinwe Obuaku-Igwe, the Director-General and Special Envoy of Osun State Government on Climate Change and Renewable Energy, said this during the global launch of “From Waste to Wheels and Watts” initiative of the state.
The launch took place on the sidelines of the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP) in Belém, Brazil.
According to her, Osun State recognises ending poverty and other deprivations by involving strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality and spur economic growth via tackling climate change and working to preserve oceans and forests.
Obuaku-Igwe said the state had been positioned as a digital sustainability hub to strengthen data-driven policy and youth innovation to mitigate and adapt the impact of climate change.
She said the circular economy and waste to wealth initiative was designed to transform Osun State’s waste management system into a vibrant green economy by establishing Material Recovery Outlets (MROs) across local communities.
“Also, alongside a referral and tracking system that incentivise households, schools and businesses to actively participate in recycling.
“This initiative complements the recycling hub already launched and operational in Osun, while institutionalising the circular economy through strong community and private-sector partnership.
“Institutionalisation of circular economy moves Osun from ad-hoc recycling to a structured, state-wide waste-to-wealth framework,” she said.
She explained that the initiative would reduce landfill burden, lower Green House Gas (GHG) emissions from unmanaged waste and support Osun’s climate action targets, while embedding waste segregation and recycling habits at household and community levels.
She said the state deployed affordable, solar-charged electric bicycle for urban and peri-urban mobility, to reduce fossil fuel reliance in transport.
She further said that “Imole Clean Cook Stove”, an energy-efficient clean cook stove, was also introduced to replace kerosene, firewood and charcoal cooking methods.
The director-general said government distributed solar-power lantern to schoolchildren in underserved rural communities.
“We started by distributing to learners who were writing NECO, then we proceeded to distribute to rural dwellers and market women. This improves access to clean, reliable lighting for education, reduces kerosene use and enhances child safety.
“The state also initiated Climate-Smart Farming for Rural Woman to strengthen capacity-building and technology transfer for women farmers to adopt drought-resistant crops, efficient irrigation and organic methods.”
Mr Femi Dosumu, the Chairman, Greener Climate Limited, said Osun State had participated in the “Go Green Today for a Greener Tomorrow” challenge, an initiative of the First Lady of Nigeria, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, to promote afforestation and sanitation.
According to Dosumu, who is also a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), the state is involved in some efforts to restore degraded landscapes as part of the project.
He said “Osun State is involved in national efforts to restore degraded forests through National Afforestation Programme (NAP).
“The state government is taking actions to prevent farming and the erection of permanent structures within forest reserves to better manage and secure them and working to relocate farmers who have entered the Shasha forest reserve to other areas.
“The government is collaborating with the Osun State University to develop efficient Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) systems to support national climate goals.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu
