By Dennis Peprah
Sunyani, (Bono), July 9, GNA-The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) has rolled out the implementation of a $5.3 million project nationwide to advance Ghana’s circular economy.
The circular economy significantly supports the achievement of the UN Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those focused on sustainable consumption and production, responsible resource management, and climate action.
By promoting strategies like reducing waste, reusing materials, and regenerating natural systems, the circular economy contributes to multiple SDGs simultaneously, fostering a more sustainable and equitable future
It is against this background that the Ghana Circular Economy Center (GCEC) Project of the UN agency is partnering with the Ministry of Environment Science, and Technology for the implementation of the five-year project, being funded by the Canadian government.
The project implementation targets youth and women in helping to reshape the nation’s agriculture, textiles, and plastic sectors. According to Mr Joseph Yeboah, the Strategic Partnership Engagements Lead of the GCEC Project, the Ho Technical University was hosting the project implementation, with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) spearheading the agric and agro-processing sector.
The University of Cape Coast and the Or Foundation’ leading the plastics and the textiles sectors respectively.
Mr Yeboah gave the overview of the project when speaking at a validation workshop on the gender and youth strategies and action plans for the GCEC project implementation in Sunyani on Wednesday. It was attended by farmers, mostly women and youth, Heads of Departments and Agencies as well as agro-processing and waste management and sanitation firms.
Mr Yeboah said the project among other objectives sought to enhance circular economy-based inclusive economic prosperity and state of the environment, particularly for women and youth in the country.
It will further help increase use of financial and/or business and technology development services by small-scale entrepreneurs supported by the GCEC, particularly women and youth and advance the adoption of circular economy technologies and practices by the private and informal sectors, supported by a strengthened local ecosystem.
Besides training of 2000 small-scale entrepreneurs, Mr Yeboah said the project would further raise $10 million in private capital.
He indicated that Ghana generated about 1.1 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, however recovery rate was very low, about 12 percent with most plastics unmanaged, saying “the informal sector is sidelined with virgin plastic imports remaining dominant.
” Mr Yeboah stated the nation imported over 143,000 tonnes of secondhand clothing annually, with up to 23 percent unsellable, unrecoverable and discarded.
Mr Eric Gyenin, the Country Project Coordinator, UNIDO said everybody’s contribution was required, and urged strong collaborative approach and support for the project to achieve desirable outcomes and for the nation to derive optimum benefit from her circular economy.
GNA
Edited by Dennis Peprah/Christian Akorlie