Malawi’s government has announced that the Public-Private Partnership Commission (PPPC) Board has approved Ghana’s Jospong Group to undertake a feasibility study for the establishment of integrated waste management facilities in the country.
The approval, announced by Malawi’s Minister of Natural Resources, Patricia Wiskes, MP, during a panel discussion at the ongoing COP31 in Türkiye, clears an important regulatory hurdle towards the proposed partnership between the Malawian government and the Ghanaian conglomerate.
Dr Misheard Yagontha Munthali, Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Natural Resources, who provided details of the development, said the approval was secured at a meeting of the commission’s board last week.
He explained that the approval followed an earlier visit by a Malawian delegation to Ghana, during which the two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlining their intended areas of cooperation.
As part of the proposed arrangement, Jospong Group was expected to conduct a feasibility study to assess the establishment of its waste management facilities in Malawi, but the process required clearance from the PPPC Board.
With the approval now secured, Dr Munthali said the next step rests with Jospong Group to organise and agree on a date with the Malawian authorities for the feasibility exercise to commence.
He noted that the findings of the study would guide both parties on the appropriate next steps towards establishing integrated waste management facilities in the country.
The initial focus is on Malawi’s four city councils: Lilongwe, Blantyre, Zomba and Mzuzu. The delegation had earlier visited Ghana with representatives from Lilongwe and Blantyre city councils to familiarise themselves with Jospong’s operations.
Dr Munthali said the government is also considering extending the initiative to the country’s 28 district councils at a later stage, highlighting the scale of the potential cooperation.
He described the PPPC Board’s approval as a major breakthrough, adding that it provides an open pathway for both parties to develop a roadmap for the proposed partnership.
The development forms part of Jospong Group’s efforts to expand its integrated waste management operations and promote sustainable waste management solutions across Africa.
