The Ogun State Government has inaugurated a Technical Working Committee to develop the State Implementation Plan and Guidelines for the environmentally sound management of Off-Grid Renewable Energy Equipment (OGREE) waste, as part of efforts to promote environmental sustainability, ensure that the State stays at the forefront of environmental stewardship and transition to clean energy.
The Committee, inaugurated by the Ministry of Environment in Abeokuta, comprised representatives from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Local Government, the private sector and professional bodies.
The State Commissioner, Ministry of Environment, Ola Oresanya represented by the Permanent secretary, Dr. Kafayat Lawal, in his opening remarks, said the mandate before the Committee was to draft the Ogun State Implementation Plan for OGREE waste management, develop state guidelines for the environmentally sound management of OGREE waste, identify state-specific priorities and implementation strategies, engage key stakeholders throughout the drafting process and submit the final documents to the Ministry for validation and approval.
He noted that the inauguration marked another milestone in the State Government’s commitment to sustainable environmental management, climate resilience and the promotion of renewable energy development for the socio-economic advancement of Ogun State.
According to him, the initiative was one of the resolutions made at a capacity building workshop organised in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, that a multi-stakeholder State technical committee be constituted to develop the State implementation plan and guidelines for environmentally sound management of off-grid renewable energy equipment waste management.
While welcoming participants to the inauguration, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Dr. Kafayat Lawal, represented by a Director in the Ministry, Mr. Sofela Olabode, described the inauguration of the Committee as a critical step towards addressing the emerging environmental challenges associated with the increasing use of off-grid renewable energy technologies, particularly solar energy systems across the State.
She noted that while renewable energy remained a sustainable solution to energy access and climate change, there should be a continuous effort to establish effective mechanisms for managing end-of-life renewable energy equipment such as solar panels, batteries, inverters and other related components.
The Permanent Secretary urged members of the committee to harmoniously work together, leverage their expertise in producing a comprehensive implementation plan and practical guidelines that would ensure the safe collection, handling, recycling and disposal of OGREE waste in line with national environmental standard and global best practices.
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