By Maryam Diallo Dakar
The Head of Communication and Strategies of African Climate Reporters (ACR), Ibrahima Yakubu, has called on the Federal Government to confer a national honour on Engineer Yahaya Ahmed, Director of the Developmental Association of Renewable Energies (DARE), in recognition of his outstanding contribution to environmental sustainability through the construction of 15 houses built with sand-filled plastic bottles.
Yakubu made the call while commending Engineer Ahmed’s innovative work, noting that the first of the 15 plastic bottle houses was constructed at Yalwa Village near Jaji, along the Kaduna–Zaria road, marking the beginning of a groundbreaking environmental housing initiative in Northern Nigeria.
He said the achievement represents one of the most remarkable examples of climate-smart innovation in the country, as it demonstrates how plastic waste can be converted into durable, affordable, and environmentally friendly housing structures.
According to him, the construction of 15 plastic bottle houses has helped address multiple challenges at once, including plastic pollution, lack of affordable housing, youth unemployment, and environmental degradation.
“Engineer Yahaya Ahmed deserves national recognition for successfully constructing 15 houses using plastic bottles, starting from the pioneering structure at Yalwa Village near Jaji. His work has shown that waste materials can be transformed into valuable resources that benefit communities and protect the environment,” Yakubu stated.
“I have visited some of the houses in Nigeria ,and truly speaking they are strong and good lookking”
He further explained that each of the 15 houses built with plastic bottles represents a major step toward promoting sustainability and environmental responsibility, while also removing thousands of plastic bottles from the environment.
Yakubu also praised the training programmes conducted under the Developmental Association of Renewable Energies (DARE), through which hundreds of young people have been empowered with skills in sustainable construction and environmental innovation.
He emphasized that the project aligns with global climate action goals by promoting recycling, reducing environmental pollution, and supporting climate-resilient infrastructure development.
The ACR communication strategist therefore urged the Federal Government, relevant ministries, and environmental agencies to recognize Engineer Ahmed with a national honour, stating that such recognition would encourage more innovation in the environmental and housing sectors.
“Conferring a national honour on Engineer Yahaya Ahmed will not only celebrate his achievement in building 15 plastic bottle houses, beginning with the first at Yalwa Village near Jaji, but will also inspire a new generation of innovators to develop solutions to Nigeria’s environmental challenges,” he added.
Yakubu reaffirmed African Climate Reporters’ commitment to promoting climate innovation and environmental sustainability across Nigeria and Africa, describing Engineer Ahmed’s work as a source of pride for Kaduna State and the nation at large.
