President Nana Akufo-Addo cuts Sod for solid waste plant in Bono East

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has cut the sod for the construction of a solid waste treatment facility.

The facility is located  at Fiaso in the Techiman South Municipal of the Bono East Region.

The sod-cutting ceremony came up on Wednesday, September 9, 2020.

It was graced by the Ministers of Bono East Region, Kofi Amoakohene and Sanitation- Water Resources, Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah.

Others were the Executive Chairman of Jospong Group of Companies, Dr Joseph Siaw-Agyepong, Paramount Chief of Techiman, Oseadeyo Ekumfi-Ameyaw IV.  Queen mother of Fiaso, Ohemaa Mariama also registered visible presence.

It formed part of the President’s two-day tour in the Bono East Region.

 The 15-million Euro project is expected to be completed within four months. It is under a partnership amongst Zoomlion Ghana,  its private sector partners and the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources.

When completed, the plant will have facilities including plastic waste recycling, finished products and spare parts, compost workshop, sorting workshop and an office building.

The rest are restaurant, weighing bridge, recycling plant, washing bay, skills training scavengers, clinic and a laboratory.       

Speaking at the ceremony, the Executive Chairman of JGC, Dr Joseph Siaw-Agyepong said the plant will create 75 direct jobs. Siaw-Agyepong who also doubles as the CEO of Zoomlion, added that 250 indirect jobs would also be created.

“With the President Nana performing the sod-cutting ceremony, we are starting the construction immediately. All the machines are ready to facilitate the project,” he said.

He thanked the chiefs and people of Techiman and Fiaso for making available a 100-acre land for the project.

THE DISTRICTS

According to him, eight districts in the region will bring their solid waste to the facility.

The districts, he said, include Techiman Municipal, Techiman North and South, Nkoranza North and South. Others are Kintampo South and North and Wenchi.

“This solid waste facility has the capacity to do sorting, process waste into fertilisers, plastics among others,” he said.               

President Nana Akufo-Addo’s vision to make Accra the cleanest city in Africa drives our enthusiasm, Dr Siaw-Agyepong  said. Therefore, the waste treatment facilities will support the vision of attaining cleanest city in the world.

He commended the President for setting up a sanitation ministry to take care of the country’s sanitation needs.

He further used the opportunity to congratulate the President for his appointment as the ECOWAS Chairman.

On her part, the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah frowned at open defecation.

She entreated citizens in the region to refrain from practices such as indiscriminate dumping of refuse, especially into the drains.

She reaffirmed her ministry’s approval  of Zoomlion’s initiative to construct waste treatment facilities in all the 16 regions.

Dapaah  called on other private waste companies to come on board and support the government in addressing the sanitation challenges.

According to Madam Dapaah, a similar project would be commissioned on September 13, in Goaso, Ahafo Region.