The Rivers State Government says that it is set to use Artificial Intelligence in waste management activities in other to maximize its economic potentials for the benefit of the good people of Rivers state.
This is coming due to a recent official signing ceremony of two Memoranda of Understanding on the development of a $300 million Waste-to-Wealth project, carried out by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, on Thursday night in the state capital.
The contract will provide the state acess to 200mw power plant, smart e-mobility, 20 tonnes of carbon capture, storage and other innovations.
The MoUs with Intec and Omene Group of Companies, among other things are established to convert waste to wealth, boost employment opportunities, generate electricity, as well as in bringing increase to the state’s revenue base.
The signing ceremony took place at the Ministry of Justice in Port Harcourt.
This is following a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Friday morning by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Nelson Chukeudi, and made available to journalists.
Represented by the Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dagogo Israel Iboroma, the governor noted with delight that the state government in May 2024, held the investment and economic summit, the first of its kind in Nigeria.
Speaking further, an Executive Order heralding the birth of the Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency was saddled with the responsibility to drive investments in the State.
“Today, we have signed two memoranda of understanding between the Rivers State Government and Omene Nigeria Limited, essentially to manage waste, convert waste to wealth and create massive employment for Rivers people’’.
“Waste management has been a sour point on the people and the environment worldwide, and Rivers State is not an exception.
“The Rivers state government spends millions of naira for waste collation and disposal, with no significant result but by these memos, there is a leap forward” he said.
The governor expressed satisfaction with the collaboration, saying that the benefit of the waste-to-wealth project will grow the state’s economy, create jobs for the teeming youths, keep the state clean and peaceful, and generate 200 Megawatts electricity daily in addition to 20 tonnes of carbon capture, which will be traded as carbon credit.
He also expressed optimism that there would be no issues in the collaboration and execution of the project, stressing that the state will be the first in Nigeria to successfully achieve a waste-to-wealth project with modern technology.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Omene Group, Franklin Omene, said that the company will be working with other foreign investors to convert waste to wealth.
Omene said that their effort is to complement what the Rivers state Waste Management Authority is doing, explaining that the Rivers state Economic and Investment Summit gave birth to the collaboration.
He said converting waste to wealth is what his company is known for all over the world, stressing that Intec Group, as a reliable group of companies, will help realize the project for the state and its environs.
The representative of the partners, German-based Intec Group, Srinibach Tepal, thanked the Rivers state government for creating an enabling environment for investors to invest in, noting that although the project is at no cost to the Government of Rivers state, they have built a smart business model to ensure productive and speedy transformation of the State.
