The Ghanaian Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovations has cut the sod for the construction of a $30 million E-waste recycling facility at Agbogbloshie in Accra.
The development became necessary owing to the rising volume of e-waste in the country.
However, the Nigerian government may not have thought it wise to look into that direction even though experts say e-waste generation in Nigeria is far more than what is generated in Ghana on a yearly basis.
Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, Greater Accra Regional Minister, on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, performed the sod cutting, tree planting and unveiling of the e-waste recycling facility over the weekend.
The facility is to be built in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency and is expected to recycle all electronic and electrical waste into final products “in an environmentally sound manner”.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Okoe Vanderpuye, the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive said the facility would bring relief to the Agbogbloshie and surrounding communities which had been exposed to toxic pollutants generated from burning of e-waste in the area.
Nii Afotey Agbo said the facility together with its entire value chain would generate more than 400,000 jobs for Ghanaians.
He said “The facility will hire existing workers of the Agbogbloshie scrap yard, while others would undergo retraining to enable them undertake proper recycling jobs.”
Mr Francis Bullen Gavor, Project Consultant, said “One of Africa’s biggest e-waste dumpsite at Agbogbloshie has recently been cited among the top 10 most polluted sites in the world.
“It is therefore important to find innovative ways to manage the e-waste generated in our various communities.
In his further submission, he said through the new facility, “Harmful elements associated with waste products will be captured and processed safely, thereby preserving critical ecological components”.
He therefore encouraged individuals to bring their e- waste to the collection centres to be paid for, saying the project when completed, “would ensure the value-chain management of e-waste and electrical equipment in an environmentally sound manner”.
