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UNHCR Plastic Bag Recycling Project: Trained IDPs Seek For More Support
Graduates of the UNHCR/AUN Vocational Skills Training (Plastic Bag Recycling) Project have expressed desire for further assistance from the humanitarian community and government so as to enable them set up petty businesses as they return to their camps. The female IDPs made the request in a chat with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) during their graduation ceremony on February 25, 2016, in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.
Recognising that the project has benefited them immensely, because they were idle before the project started, Zainab Abdulahi requested the organisers and the government to help patronise them with the means to set up petty businesses as they return to their camps. “We wish to appeal to the powers that be and the general public to help buy our products. Some of us came to the training with high blood pressure, but that was solved as soon as we started interacting with each other. With the skills acquired, we will be able not only to empower other Nigerians but also help to clean up the country,” Zainab said.
Corroborating her, Martha Jekuga, a mother of triplets, acknowledged that she had personally learnt a lot from the training, and her husband and children were highly embracing the programme. “I am going to use the skills acquired from the training to teach other women, girls and even men in the camps, as well as people in town when the need arises. We want the government to provide us with vehicles that will help transport us to other local governments and states,” Martha pleaded.
Like her colleagues, Josephine Timothaus were grateful that she learnt lots of new things during the training – how to make bags and key holders from waste nylon bags. She, however, expressed disappointment that they were not given money that would help them set up their own petty businesses and resolve some of their family challenges. “I am particularly disappointed because we bought the materials with our own money and expected that we would be given the proceeds from their sales; but that has not happened, even though we need capital to buy more materials and set up small businesses,” she said, while hoping that something would still be done in that regard.
Josephine’s thoughts were shared by Monica Pius, who was equally bitter that the proceeds from the sales of their products were not given to them as promised from the onset. “Instead, we were only given one bag each containing start-up tools, and certificates. In fact, most women are not so happy about this. Without money, we cannot do much. I have eight (8) children and I cannot sponsor them in school because the money is not there.”
However, one of the trainers and coordinator of the training exercise, Esther Emmanuel, allayed the fears of the IDPs, saying that the proceeds from the sales of the bags would be shared equally to the trainees with due time. She expressed delight that the project had hugely helped the IDPs, most of whom depend on it for their livelihood and the upkeep of their families. That is why the IDPs were given each a bag containing start-up kits such as 4 scissors, 4 tapes and 12 crocheting pins.
“Before we started the programme, most of the IDPs looked so haggard, but now they are very bright and jovial. In order to sustain the programme, we need a vehicle to enable us move to other local governments and states to transform the lives of other people. The project has also had a positive impact on the environment in Yola, which was hitherto littered with waste polythene bags. We want to replicate this in other parts of the country,” Esther Emmanuel explained.
Cesar Tshilombo, Head of Sub Office Bauchi, who represented the UNHCR Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, described the project as one envisaged to create self-reliance among female IDPs. “As you know, if you give a fish to a man, you feed for one day, but if you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a life time,” he said, describing livelihood as “ one of the most effective tools of protecting IDPs, refugees and other persons of concern.”
Cesar said IDPs and host communities were picked for the project because they remain the most hit by the insurgency in the Northeast. He insisted that due to delay in the release of financial resources, only 300 women were reached for the training. He, however, paid tribute to the American University of Nigeria (AUN) for investing enormously in the project, adding that the new challenge now was how to sustain the trainees and the project.
Cesar enjoined all humanitarian actors, government and other stakeholders to join forces with UNHCR to deal with the huge displacement crisis in the Northeast, which continues to take its toll on the local populations by plunging them into greater poverty.
Head of Field Unit Yola, Anchinesh Maheteme, described the training of IDPs on the recycling of discarded plastic bags as timely, because, “livelihood is key for the protection of IDPs and other persons of concern, who are likely to be exposed to different protection risks, including exploitation.” She added that when well protected, female IDPs will be able to fight for their human rights and make meaningful contributions to the development of their communities.
“I believe that with the start-up kits we have provided to the female IDPs graduating from this vocational skills training, they will be able to generate income and sustain themselves,” Anchinesh said, even as she stated that plans are underway to expand the project in 2016 to include men, particularly the youth. She explained that the initial project focused mainly on women because they constitute the bulk of the most vulnerable and those more exposed to protection risks. She expressed satisfaction that besides empowering the IDPs, the plastic bag recycling project has gone a long way to contribute to environmental protection in Yola, which could be replicated in other parts of the Northeast in particular and Nigeria at large.
Retracing the genesis of the plastic bag recycling programme at AUN, the project coordinator, Jennifer Che said it was conceived as a result of plastic waste, the biggest, never degrading polluter, that littered the town of Yola. The solution was, therefore, to transform such waste into wealth or useful products, and in the end some 1,650 waste nylon bags have been removed from Yola, thereby helping to clean up the town.
According to her, before taking up the training of 450 most vulnerable female IDPs and members of the host communities with grant from UNHCR, AUN had earlier trained some 200 local women in Yola and Jimeta, Adamawa State.
“The project targets women who have been left to themselves and taken to chaos. I am satisfied that we have given these women something to do, which they enjoy doing, even though at first, they were a bit shy and reluctant to accept. We have given them a little bit of hope, that by doing this new job, they can find a way of keeping themselves busy and make some money for themselves,” she said.
To Veronica Yohanna of UNHCR Yola, the plastic bag recycling project is unique in that it is something many people take for granted, but which UNHCR has seen as useful to harness plastic waste for the economic good of the IDPs. She also underscored the fact that the project helped to solve the problem of stress and high blood pressure experienced by the IDPs before they came to the training. This happened as the women interacted, shared their experiences, built on peace and trust, as well as laughed together. Mrs. Yohanna hoped that a special market will be created for the trainees to help them be self-sufficient.
A majority of the trained women and children confidently carried themselves tall, beamed with delight and testified that they loved the project. On their faces, you could see that they wished that the project be sustained. This is why Mrs. Che disclosed that another project was in the pipeline by UNHCR to train another batch of IDPs in the specific making of mats for IDP camps, and to monitor and support those already trained.
Highlights of the colourful graduation ceremony, attended by officials of AUN and local authorities, included sales of articles produced by the trainees (the proceeds of which went to the IDPs), award of certificates to the graduates, and cultural animation.
As he continues to impact our society positively and find new frontiers, Mr. Seyi Tinubu leaves no one in doubt about his generosity and care.
To Borno with love
For a state still nursing deep scars inflicted by years of violent extremism, the collapse of the Alau Dam, Borno, on December 10 was yet one tragedy too many.
The flood from the dam overwhelmed two local councils in the state (Maiduguri and Jere), killed about 150 people, and displaced over 70 percent of its residents.
Maiduguri and its residents, who never seemed to get enough help for their protracted misery, needed more help after the dam collapsed.
When President Tinubu’s first son, Mr. Seyi Tinubu, with his younger brother, Yinka, and a few others visited the state and announced a donation of N500m, it came as a prayer answered.
The intervention was not only in cash. He also donated 10,000 pieces of mosquito nets, blankets, mattresses, kettles, wrappers, buckets, mats, sanitary pads and wash kits, as well as critical supplies to cover prescriptions for almost 50,000 children and adults, including anti-malarials, anti-hypertensives, anti-parasitics, anti-diabetics, analgesics and antibiotics.
The gesture, which left many pleasantly amazed, caused a ripple in several quarters, especially among those unfamiliar with such heartfelt generosity from the children of Nigeria’s first family without official titles.
Succour for PWDs
Many didn’t know that Seyi wasn’t a stranger to looking out for the distressed and vulnerable. For him, philanthropic and humanitarian gestures not only preceded the Maiduguri tragedy, but it’s a practice he determined to honour, almost like a tradition.
For example, in May 2023, during the Renewed Hope Concert at the MKO Abiola National Stadium in Abuja to celebrate President Bola Tinubu’s imminent inauguration, Seyi stirred emotions when he was seen handing out wheelchairs to some people with disabilities present at the venue. The event was attended by then president-elect Tinubu and Vice President-elect Shettima.
The elated beneficiaries, who saw his generous and thoughtful gesture instantly upgrade the quality of their lives, couldn’t contain their joy.
Youth and sports too
Fast forward to 2025, to the Seyi Tinubu Basketball Championship, held at the Dogon Dutse Basketball Pitch in Jos, offered where he donated a total of N5m in cash prizes, with N3m naira awarded to the victorious team and N2m, to the runners-up. It’s clear that Seyi Tinubu’s tradition of uplifting others certainly knows neither tribe nor religion.
For him, the championship—which the organisers said aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda—was enough to celebrate youth, community spirit, and the power of sports to unite people across Nigeria.
A heart for healthcare
However, his interventions have mainly focused on health, with maternal and child health taking the lead.
Through his ‘Drug Banks for Indigent Patients in Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatric Pharmacy Intervention’ launched in August 2024 at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika-Zaria, Kaduna State, he set out to reach about 600,000 indigent patients monthly across 60 tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
This ambitious project involves establishing drug banks in each of the 60 facilities mandated to service 10,000 indigent patients monthly.
At the inauguration of the project at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Dr. Cole Ayodele, the National Coordinator for the Seyi Tinubu Maternal and Child Health Intervention Scheme, had noted rightly that Nigeria’s maternal mortality was about the 4th highest in the world – a grim record and narrative which this noble initiative from Seyi Tinubu is determined to change.
While launching the same initiative at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), he further endowed an N1,000,000 scholarship granted to the best paediatric resident doctor.
Dr. Gabriel Oyeleke, a senior paediatrics registrar who was reportedly distinguished himself in the line of duty by caring for children in the hospital, was awarded the N1,000,000 scholarship in cash the same day.
The Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Dr. Wasiu Adeyemo, couldn’t hide his pleasure at the initiative. He noted that it would provide significant financial relief for countless indigent individuals who were financially unable to access prescribed drugs and medical treatments.
Before then, the team had visited the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Asaba with the total package, including the N1m Residency Training Scholarship for final-year pediatric residents to assist with registering and preparing for final fellowship exams.
Dr. Joseph Ajanwenyi, who got the scholarship award, thanked Seyi Tinubu for his generosity and also vowed to use the grant responsibly for its intended purpose.
After that, the Seyi Tinubu healthcare intervention train also stopped at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Abuja to donate Life-Saving Drugs Worth Millions of naira.
While celebrating the donation on their Instagram page on September 24, 2024, the FMC Abuja management stated that the donation was Seyi Tinubu’s demonstration of his commitment to maternal and child care.
They also celebrated Dr. Fatima Mohammed, who received the N1,000,000 Seyi Tinubu Residency Training Scholarship the same day.
Medical bills cleared
From Abuja, we head back to the South, this time to Lagos State precisely, where Ifeoluwa Ore, a young sickle cell patient at LASUTH who had been discharged but could not leave because she could not afford the medical bills, was recorded thanking Seyi Tinubu for clearing her medical bills.
Unable to contain her joy and relief, she stated, “It has lifted a lot of burden for my family, and there is no way I can appreciate him enough. I want to say ‘Thank you’ for what he has done and what he is doing God will continue to bless you.”
One of his humanitarian projects, Seyi Tinubu Support Initiative, cleared the medical bills of Ifeoluwa and the others who were stranded.
By Maxwell Uzochukwu, he wrote from Lekki, Lagos.
Senator Monday Okpebholo, the Executive Governor of Edo State has shown that he is a blessing to the State with his policy, appointments, flagging off roads construction in the three Senatorial districts and his love for the people of the state.
Edo State Governor, Sen Monday Okpobholo
Governor Monday Okpebholo has started working and fulfilling his five (5) points agenda that he promised the good people of the state since he took oath of office.
In security, he has shown total commitment because he promised the people of Edo State that he will provide security and truly, Edo State is peaceful and people are happy about it. He has given necessary support to security personnels.
He increased Ambrose Alli University (AAU) subvention from N40 million to N500 million, he has promised to look into AAU medical students issue and the governor has started renovating primary and secondary Schools in the state, this is to tell you that Senator Monday Okpebholo knows the important of Education.
Agricultural sector has taken a good turn because he has awarded N70 billion to the sector. He knows the important of Agriculture to the state and nation at large, very soon Edo State will be the food basket of the nation with the way His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo is investing in Agriculture.
During electioneering period, Senator Monday Okpebholo promised employment of 5000 people within his 100days in office and he has started the process, very soon, Edo State people will smile because he will not sign MOU before employing them. He has started appointing Edo State People and not Lagosians into various positions.
The people’s Governor, Monday Okpebholo has started his road projects across Edo State , from Edo South to Edo Central and down to Edo North, just because he believes that when the roads are motorable, prices of market products will drop automatically.
The governor has started investing in Health sector, this is because he knows the important of the sector to Edo State people.
By Eigbefo Felix
As I set out to pen this piece on this serene Sunday afternoon, my mind is drawn to the profound epistle of Apostle Paul to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29: “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.”
Edo State Governor, Sen Monday Okpobholo
Hallelujah!
I have chosen to begin this way because it resonates deeply with my assessment of Governor Monday Okpebholo’s leadership over the past two months.
When Senator Monday Okpebholo stepped into the political ring, many underestimated him. He wasn’t the loudest voice in the room, nor the most flamboyant. In a political landscape where the ability to raise dust often overshadows the capacity to lay foundations, Okpebholo’s calm and collected demeanor was dismissed as a weakness. But, as Apostle Paul aptly put it, God has a way of using the “foolish” things of the world to confound the wise. And indeed, Governor Okpebholo has confounded his critics with actions that speak louder than the hollow rhetoric of his predecessor.
To truly appreciate the transformation taking place in Edo State, one must first understand where we’re coming from. For eight long years, governance was more about optics than outcomes. The previous administration, under Governor Godwin Obaseki, was a masterclass in what the locals have dubbed “audio governance.” Projects were announced with great fanfare, but their execution remained a mirage. MoUs were signed and celebrated, only to gather dust in forgotten drawers. Roads that were critical to economic and social well-being were left to rot, with billboards proclaiming, “Please bear with us; this is a federal road,” as if to absolve the state of any responsibility.
Governor Okpebholo has flipped the script. He didn’t start his administration with loud declarations or endless ribbon-cutting ceremonies. Instead, he started with work—real, tangible work.
In just two months, Governor Okpebholo has demonstrated that governance is about delivering results, not excuses. The Benin-Auchi Road by Obadan Junction, long neglected, has received the needed attention. The failed portions of the Benin-Abuja Road in Ekpoma, which seemed destined to remain a nightmare for travelers, are now under repair. Roads that were mere campaign promises in the past, like Upper Ekenwan Road, are nearing completion.
Even the Aduwawa-Upper Mission Junction, a project that felt like a distant dream, is now coming to life. And let’s not forget the Temboga-Uteh Road, which now wears the Governor’s signature of progress.
One resident put it succinctly: “In just two months, this man has done more than others did in eight years. He doesn’t make noise; he makes things happen.”
Beyond roads, Governor Okpebholo’s administration is tackling the long-neglected healthcare sector. The construction of a modern health center in Udomi, Irua, is a testament to his commitment. The 2025 budget allocates N63.9 billion to healthcare and an additional N1.8 billion for a health insurance scheme, ensuring that no Edo citizen is left behind.
One of the most commendable moves of Governor Okpebholo’s administration has been his decisive action to sanitize Edo’s markets. By placing a ban on market unions, which had long been accused of oppressive and exploitative practices, the governor has brought relief to traders and consumers alike. These unions had been driving up the prices of food and commodities through arbitrary levies and monopolistic control, leaving ordinary Edo citizens to bear the brunt.
In his words, “Markets should be places of commerce and community, not oppression. We cannot allow a few individuals to profit at the expense of the majority.”
Since the ban, market prices have begun to stabilize, and traders have expressed gratitude for the governor’s intervention.
Edo State has not been immune to the scourge of insecurity, particularly the alarming rise in cult-related killings that claimed over 100 lives in 2024. Governor Okpebholo has tackled this issue head-on, adopting a consultative and inclusive approach. Through interagency consultations and his robust security meetings, he has fostered collaboration among law enforcement agencies and local communities.
This proactive engagement has led to a significant de-escalation of tensions and a peaceful resolution to many conflicts. As one community leader observed, “For the first time, we feel heard. The governor is not just issuing orders; he’s listening and acting.”
Another area where Governor Okpebholo has demonstrated his commitment to justice is in addressing the contentious issue of land grabbing. Under the previous administration, many communities and individuals saw their lands forcefully taken, their properties destroyed, and their voices silenced.
Governor Okpebholo has taken a firm stance, declaring that such lands will be restored to their rightful owners, provided they can present proof of ownership. This policy has brought renewed hope to many Edo citizens who had all but given up on ever reclaiming their ancestral lands.
“The government is here to serve the people, not to oppress them,” the governor stated. “We will right the wrongs of the past and ensure justice prevails.”
Governor Okpebholo’s 2025 budget, aptly titled the “Budget of Renewed Hope for a Rising Edo,” is a roadmap to sustainable development. With 63% of the N604 billion budget earmarked for capital expenditure, it’s clear where his focus lies.
* Road Development: N162 billion
* Education: N48 billion
* Health: N63.9 billion
* Agriculture: N75 billion
This is not just a budget; it is a statement of intent. It reflects the governor’s five-point agenda—security, infrastructure, healthcare, food sufficiency, and education—augmented by a renewed focus on agriculture.
Governor Okpebholo’s approach to governance can be likened to a diligent farmer. While others scatter seeds carelessly, hoping for a quick harvest, he tills the soil, plants with precision, and nurtures the crops. The results are already visible, and the harvest promises to be bountiful.
In reforming local government administration, the governor has brought discipline and transparency to a system that was previously plagued by inefficiency. His bold steps are setting a new standard for accountability and service delivery.
Governor Monday Okpebholo is proving that leadership is not about noise but results. He is confounding the critics and inspiring the citizens. As Apostle Paul wrote, God uses the weak and despised to bring about great things, and in Edo State, this truth is playing out before our very eyes.
Edo is rising, not on the wings of empty promises, but on the back of a governor who understands that actions speak louder than words. Indeed, Governor Okpebholo has become the farmer who sows in silence and reaps in abundance—a leader who delivers hope, one project at a time.
Fred Itua is the Chief Press Secretary to Edo State Governor
