President John Mahama gave the directive in Accra Friday and outlined measures that had been taken by the government to ensure proper waste disposal management.
He said they included the creation of waste transfer stations and recycling plants.
He was speaking at a presentation ceremony where waste management company Zoomlion presented 400 waste trucks and 5,000 motorised tricycles to metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs).
The President also reiterated that the discharge of raw waste into the sea at Korle Gonno in Accra would stop and ‘Lavender Hill’ would be closed down by the end of August this year, after the completion of the Mudor Faecal Treatment Plant adjacent the dump site.
President Mahama recalled that after a court order last year that forbade the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) from continuing to dump liquid waste at the broken-down facility, the AMA was also challenged with an alternative disposal site, hence the continual discharge of raw liquid waste into the sea.
He therefore gave an assurance that the facility would be finally closed down in August.
He said the issue of waste disposal was very paramount to the government, hence the decision to engage in a public-private partnership with Zoomlion to construct facilities that would help in managing the country’s waste.
President Mahama paid glowing tribute to Zoomlion and other stakeholders for their dedication in ensuring that the country’s waste was properly managed and charged the MMDAs and waste management companies that were beneficiaries of the equipment to ensure they enjoyed extended life.
The Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies, Mr Joseph Siaw Agyepong, said the 400 waste trucks and 5,000 motorised tricycles were valued at $50 million, adding that 5,000 more tricycles would be presented later.
He said members of the Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA) also benefitted from the waste equipment which is intended to help in managing waste in the country.
Stating that Zoomlion had gone beyond an individual’s interest and now belonged to all Ghanaians, Mr Agyepong said the presentation of the equipment was in line with the Group’s corporate theme for the year, “Excellent Customer Service Delivery”.
“Government, no doubt, is our number one customer, so we are through this presentation satisfying our customer’s need,” he said, adding that because Zoomlion was able to access the equipment through an arrangement with the manufacturers, they came at no cost to the government.”
source: Richie Ankrah/Onua 95.1 FM/3news.com
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