Ghana’s electronic waste scrap yard, Agbogbloshie, to be transformed

The government says the biggest electronic waste scrap yard at Agbogbloshie in Accra is a treasure that would be mined and transformed into a world-class biggest electronic waste recycling centre.

Currently, Ghana together with its development partners including the Germany Government had identified challenges and was working on a comprehensive solution to address the various issues.

It is under the Environmentally Sound Disposal and Recycling of E-Waste, being implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in partnership with Ghana’s Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI).

Some of the interventions that would be part of the solutions are the development of different sustainable business modules, people identifying opportunities in the value chain, build the capacities of scavengers, provide the necessary equipment and technology to work and improve the livelihood of their families.

Mr Oliver Boakye, Special Advisor at MESTI, disclosed this in response to a question posed during a panel discussion on the topic, “Agbogbloshie: Discovering Value of E-Waste through Innovation” at the on-going Europe’s largest conference on digital and social topics at the Ghana Trade Fair Centre in Accra.

The conference under the theme: “Next Level”, has assembled about 1000 national and international participants to deliberate on issues relating to digital activism, health, journalism, art, business, data, access, future technologies and women in technology.

This edition of re:publica, which is the first being held outside of Europe, dubbed ‘re:publica Accra,’ is also expected to serve as the launch-pad for closer collaboration between entrepreneurs and stakeholders in science, technology and innovation in Europe and Africa.

Mr Boakye explained that the plan was in two parts, one was the regulatory aspect that would ensure that generators’ of the waste paid for it.

Already, he said the country had passed an Act to streamline the activities in the waste collection and management industry to ensure a sound waste management and recycling of hazardous waste, electrical and electronic waste in the country systems to save the country’s forests and future generation.

The Special Advisor stated that a health post has been built to improve the living condition of people as well as a training workshop.

He said a nationwide infrastructure would be set up to facilitate the collection, sorting and recycling, adding that people would be paid above the normal rate as an incentive.

Mr Oliver stated that, “There will be a holding centre, that will be store and keep track of all the parts that had come in and separated to know that components before they get to the recycling plant.”

He assured that Agbobloshie would be transformed and everyone would be proud of it, “we are seeking to address the various issues that exist in the value chain for people to keep their respective jobs and the environment will be clean”.

Mr Isaac Nyankum, Production Officer, klaks3d, expressed optimism that if the government implemented the comprehensive plan, it would help to fabricate companies to get a reliable source of raw materials to work.