Accra: The Chief Director of the Ministry Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Suweibatu Adam, has highlighted the potential impact of the newly launched InnoWaste project in managing Ghana's escalating plastic waste problem.
According to Ghana Web, the initiative, introduced by the German Development Cooperation and its partners, aims to address the country's increasing plastic waste volumes through innovative solutions.
The 'InnoWaste: Empowering Youth through Innovative Plastic Waste Management Solutions' project focuses on creating economic opportunities across the plastic waste value chain, particularly benefiting women and youth. By advocating for circular economy principles, the project intends to support waste collectors, aggregators, and recyclers, enhancing their income and working conditions while promoting environmental sustainability.
Suweibatu Adam reported that Ghana produces about 1 million metric tonnes of plastic waste annually, with only 9.5 percent currently being recycled. The majority of this waste ends up contaminating water bodies, posing threats to marine ecosystems, agricultural lands, public health, and the livelihoods of fishing and farming communities. Projections indicate that if current trends persist, plastic pollution in Ghana's water bodies could increase by 190 percent from 2020 to 2040.
Research by the Ghana Climate Innovation Centre suggests that recycling plastic waste could generate over GHS88 million annually for Ghana. Adam emphasized the significance of this opportunity, urging stakeholders to seize it. The Deputy Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, commended the project, noting its alignment with national and international priorities on circular economy and climate action.
Odoley Sowah recognized the InnoWaste partnership as a strategic collaboration between government, development cooperation, and private investment aimed at resolving national challenges. The project's theme, 'From waste to wealth: Driving a circular future', underscores the need to view waste as a valuable resource and to foster socio-economic growth through a circular economy.
Wilhelm Hugo, NIED Cluster Coordinator at GIZ, stated during the launch that the project signifies a commitment to transforming environmental challenges into opportunities for innovation and sustainable growth. Jointly funded through the develoPPP programme in partnership with Zoomlion Ghana Limited and Blue Skies Products Ghana, and implemented by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the project seeks to create green jobs and promote sustainable livelihoods.
Hugo highlighted the project's triple win: environmental benefits by reducing plastic pollution and advancing a circular economy; economic gains by unlocking business opportunities and generating green jobs; and social improvements by empowering women and youth and fostering inclusive communities.