North East Regional Minister cuts sod for construction of solid waste treatment facility

North East became the 15th region to benefit from the ongoing government’s policy of constructing integrated recycling compost plants in the sixteen (16) regions of the country.

The policy, which is a collaboration between government and Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL) and its partners, Komptech, is aimed at achieving the clean Ghana agenda.

The Regional Minister, Mr Solomon N. Boar, who performed the brief and colourful sod-cutting ceremony and read the keynote address on behalf of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at Nalerigu in the East Mamprusi Municipality, said the execution of the project was aimed at achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3, 8, 11 and 13.

According to President Akufo-Addo, sanitation was a shared responsibility, and thus urged the citizens to participate in activities that would improve their environs.

“Community leaders and local government institutions are therefore, to effectively mobilise citizens for collective actions such as behaviour change initiatives in basic sanitation promotion to accelerate the socio-economic development of the country,” he urged.

He also asked the stakeholders to ensure the timely completion of the project, stressing that the construction must be carried out in accordance with the required standards and specifications.

“The citing of such infrastructure comes with other accompanying benefits of social amenities such as good roads, potable water and extension of electricity which will help improve the local economy,” President Akufo-Addo mentioned.

The President used the opportunity to remind the people in the region to continue to observe the COVID-19 protocols, adding that “the fight against the Covid-19 is still on and my government will continue to put in place measures that will support the fight against the pandemic like free water, for all initiative, which has been extended from the initial six months…”
Sanitation Minister Cecilia Abena Dapaah whose speech was also read on her behalf said the project formed part of the government’s priority to ensure a clean Ghana.

“This project will help sustain the gains made in the sanitation and water sector,” she averred.

She, therefore, expressed appreciation to Zoomlion for providing pick-ups for the sector and which she said have been delivered to the various security agencies for monitoring of the environment.

“The ministry will continue to do what is necessary to improve upon water and sanitation in the country,” she added.

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Jospong Group of Companies (JGC), Madam Florence Larbi, speaking on behalf of the Executive Chairman of Jospong Group of Companies/CEO of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong, expressed gratitude to His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the President of the Republic of Ghana, for his visionary leadership and personal support to the environmental sanitation sector and private sector development during his tenure of office.

“His commitment and dedication to ensuring a clean Ghana is very much appreciated. We as the leading waste management company in Ghana and other parts of Africa will continue to contribute our quota to make his vision for this sector a reality,” she assured.

It is a 200-ton waste treatment facility equipped with 21st Century technologies in sanitation management,” she revealed.

She explained that it will aim at providing a sustainable solution to recover and recycle over 60% of the organic fraction of the waste into compost to boost the agricultural sector and support the Planting for Food and Jobs Agenda.
“Other recyclable materials will also be separated and processed for reuse,” she added.

Furthermore, she said the waste treatment plant, when completed, will present the most suitable alternative to landfill waste disposal, deploying the latest technologies in sanitation management, adding that it will serve communities like Nalerigu East Mamprusi, West Mamprusi, Bunprugu, Yunyoo, Chereponi and other surrounding districts.

According to Madam Larbi, the region generates 100,000 tons of waste annually, adding that most of it go into landfills, making it hazardous to the citizenry adding that the facility has the potential of curbing this.

“The projects is estimated to cost 15 million Euros and will be completed within 4 months,” adding that it will create 250 direct and 1,500 indirect jobs for the teeming youth in the region.