President Akufo-Addo, has announced that the next phase of Ghana’s waste management is to convert trash to energy.
He indicated this will add to Ghana’s energy capacity and also ensure the realisation of the clean Ghana agenda.
According to him, the government has provided an enabling environment through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to make this work.
President Akufo-Addo said the country currently generates some 7,517,540 metric tonnes of waste.
This situation, he said, presented enormous investment opportunities for which the private sector can take advantage of.
“I will therefore reiterate my invitation for more private sector companies to collaborate with government in creating business opportunities in the waste management space such as waste to energy, recycling and composting,” he reiterated.
President Akufo-Addo maintained that rapid population growth with its consequent increase in human activities meant that waste management generation activities still continued to be a challenge in the country.
In this regard, he underscored that the procurement of this additional fleet by Zoomlion will go a long way to address the waste management problems in the country.
President Akufo-Addo made the announcement during the unveiling of 100 state-of-the-art waste management trucks and 25 disinfection equipment secured by waste management company, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, at a brief and colourful unveiling ceremony at the Independence Square in Accra, on Tuesday.
In a welcome address, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, said the unveiling of the fleet of waste trucks confirmed the need for the government to continue to engage with the private sector.
“I stand to pledge the resolute commitment of the Regional Coordinating Council and all Metropolitan and Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to ensure these trucks are put to judicious use while strictly adhering to maintenance regimes for a longer life span,” he assured.
He stressed that his ministry will continue to collaborate with Zoomlion and its affiliates and the Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA) to provide quality service to communities, especially those in the Greater Accra Region.
However, he called on the citizenry to also play their role and avoid littering indiscriminately after the waste has been collected.
“Accra can and must indeed work again. Each one of us has a role to play in achieving this,” the regional minister noted.
The Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Mrs Cecilia Abena Dapaah, commended the President for his unwavering commitment to ensure that Ghana becomes the cleanest country in Africa.
