Sunyani to generate electricity from waste

Sunyani (B/A), Aug. 9, GNA - Sunyani Municipal Assembly is collaborating with a German energy company to generate electricity (Biogas) from the large tonnes of waste produced in the municipality.

To this end, the German company, Schafer in Rhinephas, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Assembly and will begin work on the project in January 2011.

Under the MoU, the Germans will invest 10 million Euros in the project, which on completion will supply electricity to more than 100,000 households in the municipality.

Mr Kwasi Oppong-Ababio, Municipal Chief Executive, who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview at the weekend, said the energy company had finished feasibility studies on the project.

He said the municipal assembly would delegate some management staff to undertake a familiarization visit to the company in Germany by the end of the year.

The tour, Mr Oppong-Ababio said, would help strengthen the assembly's relationship with Schafer and also make the project successful.

Under the MoU, some other staff of the Municipal Assembly would be sent to acquire technical training on energy in Germany to support the project, he said.

He said the bye-products of the project, which has the potential to create jobs for more than 200 to 500 youth in the municipality, would also be used to produce fertilizer for farmers.

Mr Oppong-Ababio disclosed that a Canadian firm had also shown interest to partner with the Municipal Assembly to go into the production of fertilizer.

He said the firm had requested for 7.5 acres of land for the take-off of the project by the end of January next year.

Mr Oppong-Ababio said plastic and biodegraded wastes as well as human waste would be used by the company to produce fertilizer which would be given to farmers on affordable credit basis.

He said the project would also generate employment to majority of the youth and stressed the determination of the Municipal Assembly to collaborate with development partners to initiate projects that would help alleviate the plight of the people.