A €20 Million Takoradi Wastewater Treatment Plant was on Tuesday inaugurated at Assakae, in the Effia Kwesimintsim Municipality to transform waste management systems in the Western Region.
The facility which will treat about 10003 of faecal matter daily using comprehensive European technology is a joint project involving Jospong Group of Companies (JGC), Pureco Kft of Hungary, ecosteryl, Sewage Systems Ghana Ltd, and the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources.
The project contains a centralised medical waste treatment plant to collect and treat hazardous health care waste, used syringes, blood-stained materials and pathological waste.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pureco, Balinth Horvart, described the plant as “a significant milestone to promote good environment management and high standards in public health.”
“This is a proud moment and significant to our two countries for the future benefit of all the partners,” he added.
State Secretary at the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Tristan Azbej, also said the facilities was a celebration of partnership between the companies, governments and people of Hungary and Ghana.
The vision, he believed, was to improve waste management and also boost the economy of Ghana.
Azbej said, “This is a proud moment; a success story of investment for Africa and Europe. We need to continue to explore the future. Ghana is one of the stable countries in Africa and we will continue to count on the friendship.”
Executive Chairman JGC, Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong, spoke about his dreams and discussions with President Akufo-Addo on how to establish a plant to treat waste water in Ghana.
The dream, he explained, was to identify gaps in waste management in each region of Ghana, and, so the search for the Assakae project began together with political and traditional leaders.
He told the gathering that with the support of Dr Lawrence Tetteh, the Hungarian government, Pureco and others came on board and hinted that two other projects had been earmarked for Kumasi and Tamale respectively.
Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, also described the plants “as historic and a sustainable infrastructure” to improve the health and sanitation of the people.
Sekondi-Takoradi, Mr Darko-Mensah said, was the third largest city in Ghana with a total population of over 400,000 and an annual growth rate of 3.3 per cent.
He said that the twin city had an increase in human population and growth in physical infrastructure in all spheres of human activities, resulting in an increase in the amount of solid wastes.
He reported that the metropolis currently treated only about 10 per cent of waste water, saying that the two plants would significantly improve the overall environmental condition of the city.
Mr Darko-Mensah said the facilities would provide a sustainable and unique solution to the management of the uncontrolled dumping of faecal sludge.
FROM CLEMENT ADZEI BOYE, ASSAKAE
