By Fatima Saka
The Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAMN) is set to establish a Waste Management Resource Centre to strengthen training, certification and capacity development across Nigeria’s waste management sector.
AWAMN National President, Dr Olubenga Adebola, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos, on the sidelines of the Renewed Hope Climate Change Awareness Tour organised in partnership with the Lagos State Government.
Adebola said the resource centre would occupy a dedicated floor of the association’s new building, which is scheduled for official inauguration in September.
He explained that the initiative was part of AWAMN’s mandate to improve waste management practices through structured training, skills acquisition and continuous professional development.
According to him, effective waste management requires properly trained practitioners capable of operating at different levels of the industry.
He said the centre would provide training opportunities for people seeking to build careers in waste management, while also equipping existing practitioners with relevant knowledge and skills.
Adebola said AWAMN was modelling the initiative after the system in the United Kingdom, where waste management operatives are required to obtain relevant professional certification.
“We are trying to model this Waste Management Resource Centre after what we have in the UK, to ensure that everybody knows.
“Even if you want to be a journalist, we create a space for you to further train on how to report on environmental issues or waste management,” he said.
The AWAMN president said the programme would also target school children, noting that early exposure to environmental education could help promote sustainable waste management practices.
He stressed that environmental interventions must move beyond awareness creation to practical action.
“Beyond awareness, we must also begin to include action. Apart from awareness, there must also be action,” he said.
On climate change awareness, Adebola said continuous education, training and sensitisation remained essential to improving public understanding and strengthening responses to environmental challenges.
“If you don’t train them, then don’t blame them,” he said, emphasising the need for sustained capacity development among stakeholders.
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Adebola also commended the organisers of the climate change awareness initiative, whom he described as the “Three Musketeers”, for their efforts toward advancing environmental awareness.
He said their activities aligned with AWAMN’s mandate of promoting environmental awareness and encouraging improved waste management practices across the country.
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