World Bank launches "Ghana Innovation Marketplace 2009"

Tema, Aug 13, GNA - The World Bank, in collaboration with the Government of Ghana, on Wednesday launched the "Ghana Innovations Marketplace (GIM) 2009" in Tema with a call on Ghanaians to change their behaviour towards waste management.

Mr Pooya Nikooyeh, Programme Manager at African Aurora, a representative of the organizing committee of GIM at the World Bank, said Ghanaians must passionately check indiscriminate disposal of solid waste in their communities.

Mr Nikooyeh said if people could dedicate themselves to the education and enforcement of good waste management practices in their communities, Ghana would be able to solve its sanitation problems. He said residents in Accra which "generates between 1,500 and 1,800 tonnes of waste per day, faces numerous sanitation-related health problems due to the inability of waste management companies and district assemblies to dispose of waste."

Mr Nikooyeh said GIM was introduced by the World Bank to encourage stakeholders to innovate applicable strategic solutions to the problem. He said GIM aimed at stimulating over 500 small-scale actors and partner organizations to generate innovative and sustainable project ideas on solid waste management in Ghana.

The project which is under the theme; "Solid Waste: BIG PROBLEM! BIG OPPORTUNITY!" would receive proposals from interested individuals, small-medium scale enterprises, research institutions and NGOs in Accra, Tema, Takoradi, Kumasi and Tamale.

He said participants must give innovative solutions to the collection of waste, value addition to it in terms of recycling, composting and energy production.

Participants would also be expected to touch on advocacy and education on solid waste which includes research and raising public awareness. About 100 projects would be given capacity building support by the GIM while up to 10 national winners would, among other awards, receive between GH¢10,000 and GH¢50,000 each. He appealed to residents in the five metropolitan areas to join the project to create jobs for themselves while helping to solve the nation's solid waste management problem. 13 Aug 09