By Philip Tengzu
Wa, (UW/R), Feb. 07, GNA – The Dr. Hilla Limann Technical University (DHLTU) in the Upper West Region has initiated a project to address waste management challenges in the region and beyond through conceptualising waste as “gold and resources”.
The project, “Waste Reduction and Management by implementing circular economy in Western Africa (WARM),” was being implemented by the DHLTU in partnership with eight universities in West Africa and Europe.
Coordinated by the DHLTU, the EUR786,212 project was funded by the European Union (EU) Erasmus+.
It would, among other things, facilitate the development of a Master of Science (MSc) course and vocational programmes in waste management at the DHLTU.
Speaking at a kickoff meeting of the project in Wa, Professor Hamidatu Darimani, the Dean, School of Engineering at the DHLTU, emphasised the need to conscientise the public, especially the young people, about the economic potential in waste management.
The meeting, attended by representatives of the project implementing partners, was to discuss and strategise for achieving the project deliverables within three years-2024 to 2027.
Prof. Darimani, the WARM Project Coordinator, explained that millions of tons of waste were generated in West Africa, which could be maximised as an income opportunity for many people if they had the right expertise and technologies.
“If we know that waste is not just waste, but it is also gold and a resource, and the people begin to understand that and have the know-how to generate money from it, I don’t think they will be going into the galamsey (illegal Mining),” Prof. Darimani explained.
Prof. Elias N. K. Sowley, the Vice Chancellor of DHLTU, encouraged young people, particularly in the Upper West Region, to take advantage of the WARM project to acquire waste management skills as a source of livelihood.
He stated that waste management, which was a “big problem” in developing countries, could be more of a resource than a problem with the right skills in waste management.
He mentioned recycling of plastic waste into bio-fuel and recycling of agricultural waste into organic fertilizer among others as some prudent use of waste.
“Apart from the fact that it will help in reducing the unappealing nature of the environment due to the waste, particularly plastic waste, you’re going to have jobs created through the recycling and even processing of the waste,” Prof. Sowley explained.
Dr. Eng. Caterina Picuno of MDTR Consulting in Italy, observed that the project had a potentially great impact on society as it would turn people’s attention to viewing waste as a resource.
“When you think about plastics, when you think about organics, when you think about metals, every single one of these materials can actually be turned into a new resource, and that has a lot of value,” she explained.
Dr. Picuno said though behaviour change towards waste management was difficult, people would change their attitude towards waste if they understood its economic potential.
The partner universities were University for Development Studies, Ghana; Technical University of IASI, Romania; Universidade De Evora, Portugal; Universita Degli Studi Della Basilicata, Italy and Central University Limited by Guarantee, Sierra Leone.
The rest were: Njala University, Sierra Leone; Universite de Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso and Universite Ouaga I Professeur Joseph KI-Zerbo, Burkina Faso and coordinated by the DHLTU, Ghana with DMTR Consulting as the project consultant.
GNA