A 2.5 million Euros European Union funded waste management services project to be carried out in the Kumasi metropolis has been launched.
The Holistic Reinforcement For Sustainable Development (HORESD) project involves three local administrations-Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Mancomunitat de la Ribera Alta (MANRA), Spain, and the Chamber of Praia, Cape Verde.
It is expected to improve the delivery of public services through effective and efficient capacity building in both the structural, and decision making systems of local authorities in the Kumasi Metropolis, which is the beneficiary city.
The 30 months project, which officially commenced on January 1, 2022, would raise public awareness and strengthen the local authorities of Kumasi for the implementation of the National Plan for Integrated Management of Municipal Solid Waste in Ghana.
Present at the conference included Mr Javier Gutierrez, Spain Ambassador, Mr Irchad Razaaly, Ambassador and Head of European Union Delegation to Ghana, Mr Francisco Carvalho, President, City of Praia, Dr Txema Pelaex, President, MANRA.
Launching it on Wednesday, Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, was happy thatas part of the project, there would be training for those at risk of social inclusion on sustainable green jobs through the setting up of a School for Sustainable Entrepreneurs on circular economy, “which is very laudable.”
Referring to a World Bank Report published on solid waste management in February 2022, the Regional Minister indicated that world cities generated 2.01 billion tons of solid waste, amounting to a footprint of 0.74 kilogrammes per person per day.
Mr Mensah mentioned that in the City of Kumasi, “over 1,500 tons of waste is generated daily, creating sleepless nights for the City authorities in terms of its management.”
He wondered that while urban solid waste was a resource for job creation and sustainable income generation for some households in countries like Germany, Spain and Sweden, “it is rather unfortunate that urban solid waste is a headache and financial drain on the city authorities in developing countries like Ghana.”
The Regional Minister expressed concern about the unfortunate situation where “citizens resort to unregulated dumping of solid waste into drains, streets and practice open burning which remains a headache to city authorities in the Metropolis.”
Mr Samuel Pyne, Chief Executive of the KMA, noted that waste management in the City consumed three quarters of the internally generated funds mobilised by the city councils.
In spite of such investments, he said, the City was still bedeviled with indiscriminate disposal of solid waste posing serious health risks and threatening the City’s accolade as “the Garden City of West Africa”.
The Chief Executive pointed out that several waste management strategies had been tried, ranging from free disposal of waste by households, pay as you dump, night cleaning to installation of dust bins along the streets, “but the results had been far below expectations”.
Mr Gutierrez, Mr Razaaly, Mr Carvalho and Dr Pelaex, all expressed their determinations to ensure the success of the project which would also ensure the development of business initiatives in the area of circular economy.
FROM KINGSLEY E. HOPE, KUMASI
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