Lagos to start conversion of water hyacinth into fertiliser

The Lagos State Public Advice Centre said the state government would soon start the conversion of water hyacinth into fertiliser for farmers.
An official of the centre, Alex Omorodion, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that most of the water hyacinth would be used for the benefit of the people.
Omorodion said that the Lagos State Government would employ some private contractors, alongside the Lagos Waste Management Authority for the water hyacinth conversion project.
He said: “Water hyacinth is a natural phenomenon that occurs anywhere you have a large or medium scale water body.
“Lagos State is addressing this issue by engaging contractors, alongside LAWMA, which would clear the hyacinth from the waterways.
“Instead of just throwing them away, however, the Lagos State Government is looking into ways to convert the hyacinth into fertiliser and papers.”
The PAC official said hyacinth breed mosquitoes, which had been of great health challenge to the state.
“The natural phenomenon is that there is no way the breeding of these insects can be stopped but it can only be controlled or minimised.”
Omorodion added that the state government would continue to make the control of mosquitoes its priority.