The project site
The multi-purpose waste treatment plant being constructed in the Western Region to phase out the operations of Sofokrom Landfill Site at Essipong in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, is taking shape to the admiration of Members of Parliament.
The supervisors said the project estimated at GH¢15 million, which commenced in August 2020 following a sod-cutting ceremony performed by the President, is about 41% complete and is expected to be completed by the end of July, 2021.
The company officials have said the machinery installation at the project site at Assakae in the Effia Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly, will be done at about £5.5million.
The project, occupying a 200-acre land, has four components including; an Integrated Recycling and Compost Plant (IRECOP), a Liquid Waste Treatment Plant, a Medical Waste Treatment Plant, a Residual Landfill Site and a Training Centre.
It also has an 8km bitumen surface road which is under construction at a cost of GH₵55million.
Emmanuel Akwasi Gyamfi, Chairman of the Local Government Select Committee and Member of Parliament (MP) for Odotobiri, who led a team of MPs to inspect the site, said the project would help resolve the sanitation challenges in the Western Region.
About five Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), including Effia Kwesimintsim Municipal Assembly, Mpohor District Assembly, Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly and Ahanta West Municipal Assembly, he noted, would benefit from the project.
“Government is looking for an opportunity to replicate this facility in all the sixteen regions of the country. This is the time that we need to support the private sector to also partner government in this direction. Zoomlion is doing very well and we need to encourage them to support government for their combined efforts to benefit Ghanaians. This is a long-term project which is going to serve the people very well and I must stress that we are impressed with the progress made so far,” he said.
A member of the Finance Committee of Parliament and MP for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo, also commenting on the facility, said the Sanitation and Pollution Levy introduced by government in the 2021 Budget Statement was a big step forward in addressing sanitation issues in the country, and added that the part of the levy is expected to be used to finance such project being initiated by Zoomlion and other waste management companies.
“In the interim, it appears government intends to be the sole financier in terms of providing a ready market for this facility. We want to see whether when the project is done, the pricing of the fee, cost of building this plant and what the state will be paying for this facility to process the waste and what will happen to the by-product that will be generated. We want to see whether all will be factored in to get a sustainable rate that the people of Ghana can pay for,” Mr. Adongo said.
The Metropolitan Chief Executive for STMA, Abdul Mumin Issah, who met the MPs said the assembly is faced with challenges in the disposal of waste and the coming of the treatment plant would be a game changer.
The Managing Director, Wastelandfills Ghana Limited, Peter Dagadu, said the plant upon completion would process 400 tonnes of solid waste and 1,000 cubic metres of liquid waste daily, and serve about two million population and create about 300 direct jobs.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi