By Doreen Ampofo
Ghanaians have for decades repaired or remodeled their belongings at least twice before disposing them off. Torn dresses are kept for the ‘’Oy3adie y3’s’’ visit to be sewn.
Electrical gadgets are taken to the “repairer’ to bring them back to life while shoes are taken to the shoemaker to glue or sew them back to life. This is what has come to be known as the Circular Economy which many developed countries are vigorously encouraging their citizens to adopt due to the growing impact of climate change.
The circular economy is a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible. In this way, the life cycle of products is extended.
Agbogbloshie is known to have one of the spots for recycling metal waste in West Africa, providing livelihood opportunities and quick cash business to approximately four thousand-five hundred to six thousand informal workers and perhaps, indirectly, for another thousand 500 people.
However, like many workers in the circular economy value chain, there is the absence of decent work. Many of them earn peanuts despite inhaling hazardous chemicals from the waste they work with or work without protective gear, thereby putting their lives at risk. Doreen Ampofo in this report looks at providing decent work for this important class of people without whose work, Ghana will be sinking in a pile of electronic waste.
