By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, Feb 2, GNA- Parliament’s Environment, Science and Technology Committee, has advised developers building around the MESTI E-waste PIU, in the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency to be prepared to deal with whatever concerns their actions may cause.
The Committee also noted that they were taking steps to let the Local government and Local assembly be aware of the emerging development and put in measures to prevent future potential conflicts.
Dr Emmanuel Marfo, the Chairman of the Committee said during a working visit by some members of the Committee to the “Agbogbloshie” Waste Collection Point and the Temporal Storage Site at Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC).
The Temporal Storage Site, which would be a central point between the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation and the Green Advocacy, the Project supervisors was financed by the German Development Cooperation but implemented by KFW.
As an avenue for receiving and not for recycling, with the interest of building local capacities for thermoplastic, and eliminating burning as a means of metal recovery, the Project which is currently in the pilot phase is expected to end in 2026.
Dr Marfo called for the need to get encroachers away for the purpose for which the place was set up to be materialised without constraints.
“…E-waste is one of the fastest-growing solid waste confronting not only Ghana but globally…and we are concerned about how electronic waste being generated could be handled given that the population is increasing, constructions and the handling of waste going forward,” he said.
Dr Marfo, also the New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Oforikrom, appreciated the work of the Project supervisors, especially when according to him they knew what they were about and were able to forecast the future hence proposing several measures to be put in place.
Mr Ebenzer Okletey Terlabi, the Ranking of the Committee, and a National Democratic Congress MP for Lower Manya Krobo, described as worrying the level of ignorance by developers and encroachers who had dismissed alleged warning signs by GAEC and were building in the area for human settlement.
Dr Vincent Nartey Kyere, the Team Leader, MESTI E-waste PIU, called for more private sector involvement than the government spearheading the endeavour.
He said private people who were investing in recycling facilities would be assured of locations, where they could get materials to feed their industries and where they could contain hazardous materials.
He said the group was working with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation to combat thermoplastics, one of the big issues that confronted the environment.
GNA