“Ghana generates 12,700 tons of waste daily, only 10% collected” – Head of EU Delegation

The Head of European Union Delegation to Ghana has disclosed that Ghana generates about 12,700 tons of solid waste daily.

He has indicated that just 10% is collected and disposed of at designated dumping sites or solid waste treatment plants.

Mr. Massimo Mina made the above revelation in his address at the launch of the EU funded HORESD project in Kumasi on Thursday 26th October, 2023.

He mentioned lack of strategies for effective waste management, compounded by lack of funding, lack of specialist personnel, weak infrastructure and inadequate collection and storage capacity.

Mr. Massimo said that until recently, the situation was not different in Kumasi. “Now Kumasi is championing a transformation of the way in which the city is managing its waste,” he stated.

He underlined how the city has mobilized investors to put in place innovative solid waste treatment plants: the first one is a compositing and recycling plant and the second one will be a waste plant to generate electricity.

HORESD is implemented with a generous budget of 2.5 million euros from the European Union under the Local Authorities Partnership for Sustainable Cities in 2021.

Under this project, officials of KMA will soon be kick-starting a sanitation programme dubbed “Keep Kumasi Clean; Let’s Recycle”.

The move is aimed at keeping the city clean by making solid waste a resource for job creation in the metropolis.

Equipment procured for the execution of the program including 2000 pieces of waste plastic containers and 8 collection trucks were handed over and commissioned for KMA officials during the launch of the project.