Lecturer at the Department of Architecture at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Issac Annor, has said that the most lasting solution to Ghana’s longstanding waste crisis is recycling.
Speaking to Alfa Ali on the Orange Sunrise this morning, Mr Issac Annor pointed out that waste has an untapped economic value and urged that waste segregation should be encouraged. He explained that waste has a circular economy, which makes waste useful with the right processing methods.
“As human beings, we generate waste, but we call something a circular economy; waste somewhere else is money”, he stressed.
Mr Issac Annor pointed out that with segregation and the right methods, organic waste can be processed into manure to improve soil fertility. However, he explained that many households lack segregation practices, making waste processing difficult.
“The challenge is, we have been mixing all our waste. Organic waste and plastic waste are all put together. We have to sort our waste. Most homes can make their own manure today, but we put all our waste together and send it away.
He also added that there was a need to include waste management and segregation methods in the education curriculum to inculcate the habit of segregation in young people, suggesting that this would create opportunities for young people.
“We have to incorporate waste management methods into our curriculum, so that our young people will take it up before it worsens”, he stressed.
Mr Issac Annor stated that although waste management requires huge funding, sanitation is a sector that needs urgent government attention and investment.
This comes after the devastating June 29 floods that destroyed lives, properties and displaced several families in Accra. The government has since highlighted some flood mitigation actions, including a 2-day clean-up exercise in the seven affected regions across Ghana and the planned demolition of some structures.
In the Ashanti Region, improper waste disposal and unplanned structures have been cited as major contributing factors to flooding. In recent weeks, tricycle operators who engage in waste collection and disposal at the Oti Landfill site have protested inefficiency at the site.
The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly has reintroduced the Town Council Nsamansaman system to fish out and sanction individuals who fail to uphold proper sanitation practices. Waste management remains a huge challenge in the region as residents continue to call for government intervention.
