Effective waste management is considered important in ensuring a sustainable environment, requiring the role of both state and non-state agencies.

Developmental and humanitarian NGOs, Plan International Ghana and Safisana are bringing together respective fields of expertise to address waste challenges at Ashaiman through the “Stronger Together” pilot project.

Implementation of “Stronger Together” is expected to improve economic opportunities, and environmental living conditions of non-seweraged areas of Ashaiman by providing faecal and organic waste treatment services.

The project by Plan International Ghana in collaboration with Safisana is targeting 5000 people.

Speaking to Joy News at the kick-off meeting of the project at Ashaiman, Sponsorship Manager for Plan International Ghana, West and Central Africa, Josephine Fiawornu said the €200,000 project will be implemented in a gender equality and socially inclusive manner.

“This budget will be enough to assess and identify the issues surrounding waste management here,” she said.

According to her, Plan International Ghana selected Ashaiman due to the presence of Safisana which has expertise in building and operating treatment plants using faecal and organic waste as a resource to produce biogas, electricity and organic fertilizer.

Josephine Fiawornu touched on the need to address climate change due to its negative impacts on the environment, agriculture and food security.

“Our circular model tackles this holistically, integrating sanitation and waste management with renewable energy production and economic farming,” she said.

 With strong collaboration and support from relevant stakeholders, Plan International Ghana believes a positive impact could be made in the area of health and livelihood of residents of Ashaiman with particular emphasis on women.

General Manager of Safisana Ghana Ltd, Elikplim Ashilevi said the partnership will enable the organisation to amplify its impact.

“ This will help us amplify further the impact we make as a waste resource company in the community. When we collect the waste it helps reduce exposure of residents to waste. This project must be implemented in other communities”

“This helps reduce incidents of sanitation-related diseases such as malaria, cholera, and diarrhoea. When waste is processed, it helps cut emission of greenhouse gases,” he said.

Ashilevi highlighted the importance of the products of waste.

“Producing electricity from waste will help reduce dependence on non-sustainable means such as relying on fossil fuel to produce power which tends to contribute to climate crisis,” he added.  

For him, waste is a resource and must be treated as such, calling on all to use waste to reduce health risks and increase wealth.

Acting Municipal Coordinator at the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly, Nana Yaw Adusei shares in the vision of the project as it will contribute to a clean environment.

“We are cautioning residents against dumping rubbish in the gutters and are ready to prosecute culprits. We already have some residents who will be put before court for sanitation offences. This new project will create employment for the youth,” he said.