By Jacqueline Emefa Ampo
The Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ophelia Mensah-Hayford, has inaugurated an E-Waste Hand Over Center at Haatso in Accra. The facility represents a major step forward in Ghana’s quest for responsible e-waste management and environmental protection.
The new centre will play a crucial role in reducing the harmful impact of improperly disposed electronic waste. Speaking at the handing over ceremony, Madam Ophelia Mensah-Hayford emphasised the importance of the initiative in safeguarding the environment and public health.
“This facility is more than just a storage center or collection point of e-waste. It also symbolises our commitment to protecting both our environment and public health. It will also facilitate the process of recycling in line with global best practices,” she said.
The project, a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation and the German Development Bank aims to replace the harmful practices of informal waste collectors.
Traditional methods of e-waste disposal, such as open burning to extract valuable metals, have led to severe environmental degradation and significant health risks for communities.
The New Waste Centre, equipped with offices, a laboratory, a sick bay, and a hazardous area, provides a safe and environmentally sound solution. The Centre will serve as a bridge between the informal sector and the formal recyclers.
Speaking after handing over the centre, Madam Ophelia Mensah-Hayford reiterated her Ministry’s dedication to safeguarding the environment and public health. She highlighted the importance of the initiative in reducing the negative impact of e-waste.
“It is our firm conviction that this incentive will strengthen the capacity of local e-waste handlers to properly manage electronic waste in ways that reduces the associated risk and increase value recovery. Additionally, it indicates our commitment to safeguarding public health and environmental sustainability aligning with Ghana’s Sustainable Development Goals.
“We remain committed to building national capacity increasing collection of e-waste promoting formal recycling systems and working with key stakeholders to achieve a sustainable solution to Ghana’s e-waste challenges,” she added.
Francisca Javers, speaking on behalf of the German Ambassador to Ghana, Daniel Krull, was enthusiastic about the project and urged continued support.
”Germany is also excited about the sustainability of the project which is being implemented as a pilot for the National E-Waste Fund and I’m very very happy today to hear the news that we really have reached a breakthrough and that the E-Waste Fund is now operating.”
“So we look forward to joining you in this journey which is already quite successful and I want to urge each of us to support this project to enable it to help reduce the harmful effects of e-waste and I just want to congratulate everyone who contributed to this great work,” she said.
Director of Policy, Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation of the Environment Ministry, Lydia Essuah said the project is not to take away jobs from the lowest income group. “The project is seeking to rather empower the informal sector operators, but not to deprive them of their livelihoods.”
“Under the projects, we give out incentives to the informal sector operators who bring various, four selected e-waste fractions to the Handover Center, and the incentive is a little more higher than what they would have had if they had to go somewhere else and burn the products,” she said.
By providing a responsible and efficient way to dispose of e-waste, the new Waste Centre will contribute to a cleaner and healthier Ghana. The initiative sets a positive example for other countries facing similar challenges and underscores the importance of international cooperation in addressing environmental issues.
