The E-Waste Fund has begun stakeholder engagement with scrap dealers in the Ashanti Region as part of a nationwide rollout of its electronic waste (e-waste) collection program aimed at promoting environmentally sustainable recycling practices.
Speaking during an engagement session in Kumasi, the Deputy Fund Administrator of E-Waste Fund, Amos Blessing Amorse, explained that the initiative, which has already been piloted in Accra and parts of the Eastern Region, seeks to build an environmentally friendly society by managing e-waste in a safer and more sustainable manner.
“Having piloted the scheme successfully, we believe the time has come to roll it out across the country. The Ashanti Region, being one of the rapidly growing areas, is a strategic place to start,” Amos Amorse said.
He emphasized that effective implementation of the project requires collaboration with key stakeholders, particularly scrap dealers, who play a central role in waste collection and recycling.
“We’ve moved beyond the stage where scrap dealers collect and burn items, polluting the environment. Through the E-Waste Fund and the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, we are establishing collection centers where these items will be gathered and sent to approved recyclers for proper treatment,” he added.
Amorse Amos noted that the initiative will benefit both local assemblies and scrap dealers.
Municipal assemblies will be able to regulate scrap activities within their jurisdictions and generate internal revenue, while scrap dealers will gain additional income by collecting e-waste items that were previously considered valueless.
“This not only boosts their income but also reduces the volume of waste that ends up in landfills. For us as a fund, our primary goal is to protect human health and the environment,” he said.
He further highlighted that proper recycling would create employment opportunities for recyclers and upscalers who reuse recovered materials, extending the life cycle of electronic products.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Head at E-Waste Fund, Mr. Gerald Adu-Gyemfi, also underscored the importance of the initiative, stating that it aligns with national policies on sustainable environmental management.
Meanwhile, the Environmental Health Officer for the Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly, Ebenezer Yeboah, expressed optimism that the project would significantly reduce pollution caused by open burning of electronic waste.
“This initiative will help us cut down smoke pollution, which has been a major nuisance in our municipality. It also brings sustainability because we’re educating scrap dealers on how to operate responsibly,” Mr. Yeboah said.
He added that the assembly plans to intensify public education and sensitization campaigns to encourage residents to adopt environmentally friendly waste management practices.
“We will continue to engage communities to help them understand the need to protect the environment and maintain a clean and safe place to live,” he concluded.
The nationwide e-waste collection project forms part of Ghana’s broader efforts to address the growing challenge of electronic waste management while creating green jobs and safeguarding public health.
Chairman of Akwatia line scraps Sellers Association Alhassan Abdulai commended the government for the new project which will not only create another income but to also protect the Ghanaian environment.
” we have really benefited from this meeting there were a numbers of materials we have been handling that we didn’t know were poison until today were are disappointed in the government nevertheless, todays meeting will change our inappropriate handling of E-waste” he said.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
