Mckingtorch Africa commissions innovative Bus Shelter made from plastic waste at Dzorwulu Junction

Pace-setting social enterprise, Mckingtorch Africa has commissioned Ghana’s first-ever bus shelter made from plastic waste at Dzorwulu Junction, just in front of Fiesta Royale Hotel.

Since its birth four years ago, Mckingtorch Africa has been the brains behind some mind-blowing plastic waste innovations and is responsible for most of the Christmas decorations made from plastic seen in parts of Africa in December 2021 during the yuletide period.

In its latest innovation, the outfit has designed a bus shelter made from the plastic waste of gallons, water bottles, as well as flip flops collected from the shores of beaches with funding from Geodrill Ghana Limited and support from Academic City University College.

After its completion, Mckingtorch Africa has finally today, Thursday, February 3, 2022, commissioned the project being documented on behalf of the Bill Gate foundation by the BBC.

Giving his address at the commissioning ceremony, Founder and CEO for Mckingtorch Africa, Makafui Awuku explained that the general object of the project is to explore the use of plastic waste to find other alternative use for plastic, wood, and other building materials.

“The specific objective relates to designing, fabricating, installing sustainable public space shelters from recycled materials to promote further research and investigate into plastic waste in Ghana, discover how these materials respond to adverse weather, promote private partnership, explore sustainable ways of keeping plastic waste out of the environment and then pursuing the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 of sustainable communities and cities to make public spaces safer,” he shared.

Makafui Awuku

After successfully putting up the first of his kind, Makafui Awuku notes that his outfit is determined to fabricate and install a lot more of these shelters across the country and on the African continent through the partnerships that it has.

He further appealed to the private sector and capable individuals to support Mckingtorch Africa to embark on more projects in dealing with plastic waste in the country.

In his speech, the CEO of Geodrill Ghana Limited, Mr. Dave Harper applauded Makafui Awuku and his Mckingtorch outfit for seeing out the bus shelter project successfully.

While noting that this should only be the first of many in Ghana, he called on businesses to support Mckingtorch Africa to continue with the good work.

“I’m delighted to be launching Accra’s first bus shelter made from recycled plastic collected from the streets.

“It’s really an amazing project and it should be the first of many. I is this platform to encourage businesses to come forward and assist Makafui in his efforts so that we can put Ghana on the map. Be the best on how we fight the plastic problem more sustainable,” Mr. Dave Harper appealed.

Mr. Dave Harper

The CEO of Geodrill Ghana Limited before concluding pledged to support Mckingtorch with GHS70,000 on their next project.

Called to the podium to deliver a speech as a special guest, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ayawaso West Assembly, Hon. Sandra Owusu-Ahinkorah bemoaned how the country’s failure to manage plastic waste has led to plastic pollution making the environment unsafe.

She said the innovation of Mckingtorch Africa is commendable and her outfit will provide support for more to be lifted in her Municipality.

“As a first beneficiary, we will provide the necessary support for the construction of more at various bus stops before you move to other Municipalities,” she noted.

She further pledged to support Mckingtorch Africa with a sum of GHS5,000.

On his part, Prof. Fred Bagonluri, the President of Academic City University College joined the calls to provide support for Mckingtorch Africa while urging the industry to strengthen collaboration with academia to build the right sets of technologies to solve problems.

He stressed that plastic is really a menace and all must join hands to help solve the problem.

He advised parents, schools, and institutions, to all join n to shape the behaviour of the citizenry about the responsibilities to keep the environment clean.

About McKingtorch Africa:
Mckingtorch Africa is a registered social enterprise in the environmental sustainability and sanitation space. Mckingtorch Africa is into recycling, upcycling, advocacy on environmental sanitation and plastic pollution, community and beach cleanups, mentoring and training for youth on creating solutions from waste, plastic waste art exhibitions, and sales of products and arts from plastic waste.

Mckingtorch Africa has collected over 200,000 plastic waste bottles from homes, offices and the streets of Accra employed 3 people and engages over 200 volunteers in Ghana and on the African continent. Mckingtorch Africa has represented Ghana at high profile events and exhibitions including the Netherlands’ Embassy Fuse 2.0 Cultural Exchange Program, Global Forest Alliance Conference in Ghana, Ghana Petroleum Conference, West African Mining Conference and Exhibition, British Council Social Enterprise Exhibition, Norwegian Embassy Plastic Pollution Exhibition, private Plastic waste exhibition in honour of H.R.H. Prince Charles, Australian Day Celebrations.