Follow Us on Google
From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Hundreds of unemployed youths, metal scavengers and unskilled young people have received briquette machines for the newly introduced solid waste economy project by the North East Development Commission (NEDC) in the area.
NEDC Managing Director, Alhaji Mohammed Alkali, while handing over the briquettes, solid waste compressing machines, to some youths in Maiduguri yesterday after a month of intensive training, said the programme was designed to address unemployment as consequences of the conflict in the area, tackle environmental problems.
“The programme is intended to cover the entire North East but we are starting in Borno. It is our response to the unemployment issue and the challenges of climate change,” he explained at the presentation of the briquette machines to the youths.
He said the youths selected by a team of assessors, have undergone extensive training on how to compress solid waste like leaf, cartons, papers and sawdust into briquette for cleaner and efficient alternative energy source.
He assured that the commission’s supervising team would continue to monitor the briquette-making youths to ensure they do not sell off the machines for immediate financial gains.
According to experts, briquette machines are devices used to compress and shape biomass materials and other organic materials, into uniform briquette for renewable sources of energy, including cooking.
