Piqued by the increasing danger of electronic waste, Lagos State government has signed a Letter of Intent with a company from the Netherlands for the establishment of a smelter plant in the state.

When operational, the plant is expected to harness the huge deposit of e-waste in Lagos

Speaking during the signing programme at Alausa, Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, who signed on behalf of the state, said it was about the economy of Lagos, and improving it.

He added that when the smelter plant comes on stream, it would create new jobs and also create a new economy through conversion of e-waste into valuable products.

Wahab stated that the presence of the Consul General of the Netherlands affirms a vote of confidence on the company, ‘Close the Loop BV’, and its capabilities.

Wahab explained that many people do not have proper awareness on how to dispose of either electronic products or waste from e-products, so the risk of pollution becomes more manifest.

The Special Adviser on Environment, Mr. Rotimi Akodu, while speaking, said the Lagos team is ready to collaborate and see that things are sorted the way they should be, adding that officials of ‘Close the Loop BV’ seemed poised for the job at hand.

In his remarks, Netherlands Consul General in Nigeria, Mr Michel Deleen, said the Netherlands government is set to collaborate with Lagos to turn waste into value and extract valuable waste.

Also, the President, Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers, Ingrid Thijssen, expressed delight at the partnership, saying it would benefit both parties tremendously.