Sector Lead To Empower Youth, Improve Waste Management in Taraba – Commissioner
By Henry Agbu
The Taraba State Commissioner for Waste Management, Shonzen Bernard, has announced that Sector Lead, a waste management company, is in the state to support youth empowerment and enhance waste handling systems.
He made this known while conducting the Sector Lead team on a tour of dumpsites across Jalingo and its environs, where they assessed the current state of waste disposal and management.
According to the Commissioner, the visit by Sector Lead aims to align with the state government’s vision of transforming waste into valuable products and at same time, addressing pressing environmental challenges.
“The company is here to partner with us to support the government’s good intentions. They are assessing dump sites and the nature of waste generated so that it can be processed into useful products,” Bernard explained.
He revealed that the Ministry of Waste Management has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sector Lead, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, to facilitate this initiative.
Also speaking, Engineer Vincent Dogo, Technical Counsel to Sector Lead, said their mission is to identify the potential of waste materials and how best to harness them to keep the environment clean in line with climate change goals.
“Our goal is to improve the overall wellbeing of Jalingo city by managing and processing waste responsibly. This visit is to gain firsthand understanding of the types of waste generated here, so we can develop strategic and actionable plans for implementation,” Dogo said.
He emphasized that while the government has made commendable efforts in waste control, Sector Lead is ready to bridge existing gaps, especially in infrastructure and technical capacity.
“Wherever humans live, waste becomes an issue. The state is doing a lot already, but we are coming in to add value—providing facilities and building local capacity for sustainable waste management,” he added.
Dogo further stated that this technical visit marks a key milestone, paving the way for the actual implementation of a modern waste processing plant.
The team is also working on determining the capacity requirements and design of the plant.
Meanwhile, Professor Shishi Zhema, Vice Chancellor of Kwararafa University, Wukari and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Climate Change, both commended the initiative.
They noted that the program will benefit the people of Taraba State immensely, particularly in terms of youth empowerment, environmental protection, and economic development.
