Frank Akuley – CEO of Ghana First explaining issues to the media during the party
Ghana First Company Limited – a waste management company – has commenced the construction of modern toilet facilities across the country to complement the effort of government to improve waste management and sanitation.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana First, Frank Akuley, said the company has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a number of foreign firms including Thermodul System GmBH of Germany to construct about 20,000 units of such facilities through a public private partnership arrangement with the government.
At an end-of-year get-together organized by the company, Mr. Akuley said the first phase of the massive projects, estimated at about $2.4 billion involves the construction of about 10,000 facilities and they are expected to be sited at lorry stations, marketplaces, recreational centres, beaches and on major highways.
“We are constructing 12-seater modern toilet facilities which will have a 12-seater W/C, 12 bathrooms and 12 urinals; a 10-seater modern toilet facility which will have a 10-seater W/C and 10 urinals, and an eight-seater toilet facility which will also have eight-seater W/C and eight-urinals.”
He said: “The toilets will have an image sensor flushing system, an automated vending machine for access control, a reception fitted with television sets and sofa seats and closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras for security purposes.”
According to Mr. Akuley, the company is determined to turn waste management into a profitable venture by motivating the public to desist from indiscriminate disposal of refuse and waste.
“What we are doing is expected to bring in about 750,000 direct employment. We are going to process the waste we generate and people are going to get paid something for the waste they generate as it is done in many countries. We want to turn both solid and liquid waste into something profitable,” he stressed.
Mr. Akuley added: “Sanitation management alone can solve half of our unemployment problems in this country if we devote the right resources for it. Ghana First is committed to making this happen.”
He admitted that the introduction of Zoomlion into the system helped to solve some of the waste management country problems of the country but added that the budgets for such ventures have always been inadequate.
“Our collaboration with the government has been effective. We want to lead by example and leave a lasting impression on the people of the great country.”
By William Yaw Owusu