The Parliamentary Select Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources has called on the government to expedite the commissioning of the Akwadum Integrated Recycling and Compost Plant (IRECOP) in Koforidua.
The move, they believe, would significantly improve solid waste management and create jobs in the Eastern Region.
During an oversight visit to the facility, the Committee, led by its Chairman and Member of Parliament for Nkwanta North, Mr John Oti Bless, expressed satisfaction with the state-of-the-art plant and its potential to transform sanitation services in the region.
“This facility is impressive and well-equipped to address our waste management challenges. I expected it to be operational by now. I urge the government to commission it without delay to serve the people of the Eastern Region,” he said.
IRECOP, a subsidiary of Zoomlion Ghana Limited under the Jospong Group of Companies, was engineered to process municipal solid waste, recover recyclables, and produce compost to support both environmental sustainability and agricultural productivity.
According to Derrick Kwabena Mintah, the Environmental and Sanitation Group Head (Technical) for the Jospong Group, the plant was near completion.
“This 600-tonne capacity facility can process up to 1,200 metric tonnes per day in three shifts,” he explained. “It will create around 500 direct and indirect jobs and improve waste management significantly.”
The Committee’s visit also shed light on broader sanitation challenges, such as inefficiencies in service delivery and delays in facility commissioning.
Mr Oti Bless noted that the government had responded by decentralising authority to enable Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to directly engage service providers.
“The President has listened to our concerns,” he said. “MMDAs can now engage waste management providers directly. As a Committee, we will continue to ensure accountability and improved sanitation across the country.”
The Committee members also underscored the need for intensified sanitation education, especially in schools and communities.
MP for Jirapa, Mr Cletus Seidu Dakpla, lauded the facility’s potential impact on public health, stressing that “Waste generation is universal. What matters is how we dispose of it. Facilities like this offer real solutions to prevent indiscriminate dumping and flooding.”
On his part, the MP for the Prestea-Huni Valley, Mr Cudjoe Robert Wisdom, stressed the importance of adult responsibility in sanitation.
“Our school children are doing their part. But adults must set the right example. Discipline and cleanliness must start from the home.”
The Municipal Chief Executive for New Juaben North, Mr Samuel Adongo, expressed unwavering support for the project and commended the government for prioritising sanitation initiatives.
“This project aligns with the President’s 24-hour economy vision,” he said. “It will clean our environment and create jobs. I’m committed to clearing all local-level debts and supporting the commissioning of this plant without delay,” he said.
The Committee concluded by urging the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, to prioritise the commissioning of the Akwadum IRECOP and to collaborate more closely with the Ministry of Education to instill hygiene practices in schools.
BY TIMES REPORTER
