𝐘𝐨𝐛𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 F𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐔𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 As 𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐃 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 T𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬

In a fresh development, The Yobe State Solutions for the Internally Displaced and Host Communities (SOLID) Project in collaboration with Ministry of Environment, Yobe State Environmental Protection Agency (YOSEPA) convened a Stakeholder Engagement Meeting to advance the ongoing assessment of the State’s waste management system and to inform the design of an enhanced, integrated waste management system for the state. The meeting brought together representatives of the Ministry of Environment, Yobe State Environmental Protection Agency (YOSEPA), Yobe Agency for Public Private Partnership and Investment Promotion (YAPPPIP) other key Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Local Government Councils, private sector operators, civil society organisations, and community stakeholders. The engagement was convened in recognition of the growing waste management challenges in the State as rapid urbanisation, population growth, and displacement-related pressures have significantly strained existing systems for waste collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal. Participants noted persistent challenges including limited collection coverage, inadequate equipment and logistics, open dumping practices, weak coordination across institutions, and insufficient cost-recovery mechanisms with such as constraints that continue to undermine environmental quality, pose public health risks, and affect the overall functionality of urban centres. In his opening remarks, the State Project Coordinator, Suleiman Dauda, highlighted that the initiative is part of His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni’s efforts on urban renewal that is anchored within the SOLID Project’s mandate to improve access to resilient and inclusive basic services for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities in displacement-affected LGAs. He emphasised that a well-structured waste management system is central to environmental sustainability, urban resilience, and social stability. He further said the need for a technically sound, financially viable, and institutionally sustainable framework with clearly defined roles among various stakeholders and institutions. The General Manager, Yobe State Environmental Protection Agency Alhaji Babagana Modu who represented the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting reforms, strengthening policy implementation, regulatory enforcement, and inter-agency collaboration. He stressed that infrastructure investments must be complemented by behavioural change, improved public awareness, and stronger institutional coordination to ensure lasting impact. In his presentation, the Lead Consultant, Prof. Umar Saleh Anka, said the effort was aimed at reviewing the existing waste management structures, including collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal systems, as well as institutional capacity for enhance opportunities. Prof. Anka noted that the outcome of the engagement will guide the development of a comprehensive and sustainable waste management framework aligned with global best practices. The meeting featured structured group discussions focused on key diagnostic areas guiding the waste management assessment woth participants reviewing the adequacy of existing legal and policy frameworks, assessed infrastructure gaps across collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal systems, clarified the roles of State and Local Governments, examined institutional coordination mechanisms among MDAs, evaluated the capacity of organised private waste operators, and explored options for integrating informal waste pickers into a more structured system. The discussions under the thematic questions generated practical recommendations aimed at strengthening the legal and institutional framework, improving accountability, addressing infrastructure deficits, enhancing private sector participation, and promoting inclusive, sustainable waste management practices across the State. • FG Estimates N9.12 Trillion For 2020 Budget • Nasarawa IDPs Dissatisfied With Sharing Of Relief Materials • Group To Flag-Off Needs Assessment Survey, Calls For Support Of Ado-Odo-Ota Residents • 17-Year-Old Activist Applies To Trademark Name • Visa Applications To Go Online Before March 1, Says FG • PSC Appoints Galadanci DIG, Promotes 1897 Senior Police Officers. The update highlights how stakeholders are adjusting to the latest conditions, while keeping focus on the key facts, figures, dates and named institutions already on record. Industry watchers say the implications will depend on implementation details and how quickly affected parties adapt.