The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Thursday, 8th October 2020, cut the sod for the construction of a solid waste treatment facility at Sharigu, in the Upper East Region.

The Plant, which is being established by the Jospong Group and its partners, in collaboration with government, and which is estimated to cost some fifteen million euros (€15 million).

The construction of this plant is in line with the Akufo-Addo Government’s policy of creating an enabling environment for the private sector to partner government to bridge the infrastructure gap in sanitation.

Upon completion, the plant will receive, sort, and process two hundred tonnes of solid waste within the Upper East Region.

The President noted that benefits to be accrued from the project include the effective and efficient management of municipal solid waste, the production of organic compost for horticultural and agronomical purposes, reduction in the high rate of plastic pollution, and the processing of recyclable fractions of the total waste such as paper, plastic and metal for reuse.

“Equally more important will be the provision of jobs for the youth of this community and its environs, which will help improve the local economy,” he said.

As co-Chair of the Eminent Group of Advocates for the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, President Akufo-Addo noted that this intervention will help us meet the Goals on clean water and sanitation (SDG 6); good health and wellbeing (SDG 3); decent work and economic growth (SDG 8); sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11); and climate action (SDG 13).

To Jospong Group and its partners, and, indeed, to all other companies interested in venturing into this field, President Akufo-Addo stressed that “the expectation is that the establishment of such facilities, like the one to be set up here, are replicated in the other parts of the country, to facilitate the management of environmental sanitation across the country.”

He further urged all stakeholders to see to the timely completion of these projects, and to ensure that construction is carried out pursuant to required standards and specifications.

Prior to his visit to Sharigu to cut the sod, President Akufo-Addo commissioned several projects made of classroom blocks and dormitories, under the Senior High School Intervention Projects, at Bolgatanga Girls Senior High School and Zamse Senior High Technical School, all in Bolgatanga.

Thus far, across the country, Government is constructing eight hundred and twenty-two (822) different infrastructure projects in all sixteen (16) regions directly aimed at reducing the number of schools running the “Double Track” system for Senior High Schools.

Again, Government has procured 1,190 vehicles to Senior High Schools made up of 350 buses and 840 pickups.