Work will soon begin on the construction and installation of an ultra-modern waste water treatment plant to solve perennial faecal waste disposal problem in Kumasi and surrounding communities.

The 1000m3 plant is a joint project between Ghana and Hungary and will executed by Sewerage systems Ghana, a subsidiary of the Jospong Group and Pureco Limited of Hungary.

The 13 million euros facility which is based on a robust Hungarian technology to be provided by Pureco Limited, a Hungarian water resource technology engineering firm will also have the capacity to turn waste water into compost for agricultural use.

In a colorful event to break the grounds for the construction of the plant at Adegya near Kumasi, the Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong expressed his appreciation to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for his dedication to the plant development in general by releasing 130 acres of land for the construction of the facility and other related ones.

He said the plant which will be managed by Sewerage Systems Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of the Jospong group when completed will serve as a research center for the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to undertake research activities for innovations in waste water treatment.

Dr. Agyepong hinted that feasibility studies have been conducted to construct similar plants in Takoradi, Tamale and Tema respectively.

The Ambassador of Hungary to Ghana, H.E Adreas Szabo in his remarks expressed his delight for the partnership, describing it as the first of its kind for a Hungarian company to sign a contract with a Ghanaian company to undertake such a huge project.

He said the project will be funded by Hungary’s Exim bank and the Jospong Group.

The Deputy State Secretary for export development of Hungary’s ministry of foreign affairs, H.E Isvan Joo also commended the project and cited it as the first waste water treatment plant to be constructed in sub-saharan African.

Jospong commended

The Minister of Works and Housing, Hon. Samuel Atta Akyea who spoke at the ceremony commended Jospong for his great vision for the country.

He said “one does not need the whole nation to change the nation, all you need is one man and Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong is changing things in this country”.

He conferred the title “etiri a eso dae pa” on Jospong which means “a head that dreams great dreams”, adding that Ghana must celebrate people like Agyepong.

Government commitment to Sanitation

The Deputy Minister of Sanitation, Hon. Michael Gyato in a speech read on behalf of the substantive Minister, indicated that the government since assuming office has taken steps to prioritize environmental sanitation by establishing the Ministry of sanitation to ensure that Ghana becomes a clean nation.

He said the government is keen on achieving the Sustainable Development goal on sanitation hence the need to bridge the huge infrastructural that exist in liquid waste treatment to help eventually stop open defecation.

Nana Baffuor Agyei Fosu Twitwiakwa II, Ananta Hene and representative of the Asantehene who chaired the brief ceremony said it was the hope of Otumfuo that ventures like this will make Kumasi the real garden city and return Kumasi to its former glory!

He commended the Jospong Group and its founder/Executive Chairman for is visionary innovation adding, “the Asanteman council will continue to support such ventures to realise the dreams of our forefathers”.

Also present at the ceremony was the Ashanti regional Minister Mr Osei Mensah, some members of parliament, Metropolitan, Municipal and District chief executives from the region, some chiefs and representatives from the Zongo communities among others

Background of project

The Executive Chairman of the Jospong group, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong and the Chief Executive Officer of Pureco, Mr. Balint Horvath signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in November, 2017 for the construction and installation of sewerage and waste water plants in Kumasi.

The project which is expected to be completed next year is being funded by the Hungarian Exim bank with other financial contribution from the Jospong group.

The Plant which will be managed by Sewerages Systems Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of the Jospong group forms plans by the company to properly manage waste in all 10 regions of Ghana.