Ghanaians urged to practice waste segregation

By Samira Larbie/Theophania Dzadza, GNA
Accra, March 24, GNA - Mr Raymond Ategbi Okrofi, the Country Manager of Safi Sana Ghana Ltd, has called on government to come up with policies that would facilitate waste segregation.

He said the country generated a lot of waste but both the organic and inorganic were being mixed and this did not encourage the processing of waste.

At the 62nd National Level Learning Alliance Platform (NALLAP) meeting to commemorate World Water Day, Mr Okrofi said if government could educate people to separate their waste it would serve as an incentive to individuals and companies in the sector.

The event, hosted by the Ghana Netherlands Wash, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Programme, was on the theme: 'Wastewater Treatment and Re-use in Ghana: Prospects for Sustained Development'.

It was aimed at drawing the attention of policy makers and authorities in the agriculture, aquaculture, health, environment and urban planning sectors on the environmental risks of waste management and how to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Mr Okrofi said Ghana was high on the list of countries that were not doing well in terms of waste management because there were no systems in place to process the waste generated.

'Every waste is a resource so why do we throw rubbish away and litter the environment. It is, therefore, important that initiatives such as these are supported with the necessary priorities it deserves because if we treat our waste that is when we can get the valuable potentials that are inherent,' he said.

Mr Richard Sedafor, a Waste Management Consultant, said wastewater treatments were highly beneficial to the country to help save cost and generate bio plastics since this had been a menace to the country.

He again appealed to government to have a structure that adjusts tariffs for waste management and also institute policies for industries to have bio plastics.

Mr Ben Ampomah, the Executive Secretary of Water Resources Commission, called for scaling up of the interventions and building of capacity of stakeholders to ensure the success of the project.

Mr Fred Smiet, the First Secretary of Water and Climate, Ghana Netherlands WASH Programme, expressed gratitude to actors for sharing their experiences to help address wastewater treatment challenges.

Mr Frederick Sunesson, the Founder of the Bola Bondeh at Lavender Hill, said their aim was to stop waste from being dumped into oceans, gutters and where vegetables were cultivated.

GNA