Let’s use waste for power - Frimpong-Boateng

Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation Minsiter-designate Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, has said rather than having landfill sites in the country, Ghana must look at possible ways of recycling the waste to generate energy.

According to him, in some advanced countries including Sweden, waste is recycled for energy, and such best practice must be emulated by Ghanaians.

Speaking during his vetting by the Appointments Committee of parliament on Thursday February 2, the former Chief Executive Officer of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital said: “I don’t think there should be any landfill site because these things that we call waste is raw materials that we need to produce either energy or compost or something else.

“So we want to come to a point like Sweden where they want to import waste from other countries so that they can process, so that we do away with these landfill sites with all the attendance problems.

“We will collaborate with our friends in the Sanitation Ministry because we have to work together to prevent the contamination of the ground water.”

He further observed that science and technology in the country was weak, hence the need to build a critical mass of scientists.

“I think we need to create a critical mass of scientists because the science and technology infrastructure in Ghana is very weak,” the renowned heart surgeon stated.

“That is why my friend and brother Apostle Kwadwo Safo has difficulties. Over the years he has got a lot of ideas and wants to do things, but it’s almost impossible for one person to manufacture a car because car manufacturers have suppliers, sometimes hundreds or thousands . A car manufacturer will not manufacture a tyre, will not manufacture a windscreen, will not manufacture a wiper motor, and will not manufacture the lights.

“There are suppliers and so if we don’t have those suppliers – people who can make a bolt for you, it will be very difficult. That is why we think that we should get a critical mass of scientists, technologists, and engineers so that when somebody has an idea, that idea can be transmitted to a lot of people and they can take part in that process.”