A Nigeria Professor of Physical and Environmental Chemistry has advocated for enhanced waste management as a means to energy generation and wealth creation.
Professor Olugbemiga Bello of the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Ladoke Akintola University of Science and Technology Ogbomoso has encouraged citizens across the globe to place value on natural wastes management instead of dumping them to contribute to environmental pollutions, pesticides and other harmful chemical hazards to the ecosystem.
Speaking at the Inaugural Lecture titled: “Valorisation of Agricultural Wastes as a Resource to Environmental and Remediation of Wealth creation,Bello said “Waste can be converted into value added products to remove dice, heavy metals and pharmaceuticals from the environment. It can also be used for animal feeds instead on depending largely on finished products with high cost. Production of biochar : a stable carbon rich material can also be made available through waste to improve soil fertility.
“The waste can also be used to improve soil fertility and with that, the soil, nutrients will improve, and thus improve farming productivity”.
Professor Bello charged governments at all levels, particularly in Nigeria to create an enabling and sustainable environment for the right expertise and professionals in Nigeria to improve the social and economic conditions of the country, since wastes are generated locally.
“The waste is at our fingertips, once we have the enabling environment, we can start on a local level and operate globally, then government intervention would scale it up to become a multi-million generated business,” he said.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Razaq Olatunde Kalilu, in his closing remarks, appreciated the Dean, Faculty of Pure and Applied Science, Profesdor Michael O Oladele, for organising a valuable lecture like this.
He also lauded the efforts of the Convener, Professor Olugbenga Solomon Bello, as a respected scholar who has used his wealth of experience to contribute immensely to the development of the University and the world at large.