The Parliamentary Select Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources has lauded the Akwadum Integrated Recycling and Compost Plant (IRECOP) in Koforidua and called on the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs to prioritise its commissioning.
The IRECOP, a subsidiary of Zoomlion Ghana Limited under the Jospong Group of Companies, is engineered to process municipal solid waste, recover recyclables, and produce compost, supporting both environmental sustainability and agricultural productivity.
Honourable John Oti Bless, Member of Parliament for Nkwanta North and Chairman of the committee, made the call during an oversight visit to the Akwadum IRECOP site recently.
Hon. Oti Bless expressed satisfaction with the state-of-the-art plant and its potential to transform sanitation services in the region and appealed to the government to expedite its commissioning.
He said the commissioning will significantly improve solid waste management and create jobs in the Eastern 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,” the chairman stated.
Some members of the committee told Modern Ghana News Network that the visit was also to shed light on broader sanitation challenges, such as inefficiencies in service delivery and delays in facility commissioning.
Hon. Oti Bless also applauded the government for decentralising authority to enable Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to directly engage waste management service providers.
“The President has listened to our concerns. Now MMDAs can now engage waste management providers directly. As a committee, we will continue to ensure accountability and improved sanitation across the country,” he said.
Hon. Cletus Seidu Dakpla, MP for Jirapa, lauded the facility’s potential impact on public health: “Waste generation is universal. What matters is how we dispose of it. Facilities like this offer real solutions to prevent indiscriminate dumping and flooding.”
Hon. Cudjoe Robert Wisdom, MP for Prestea-Huni Valley, 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.”
Mr Samuel Adongo, Municipal Chief Executive for New Juaben North, 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.”
The committee members also underscored the need for intensified sanitation education, especially in schools and communities.
The Committee also called on the Local Government Ministry to collaborate more closely with the Ministry of Education to instil hygiene practices in schools.
Engineer Derrick Kwabena Mintah, the Environmental and Sanitation Group Head (Technical) for the Jospong Group, noted that the plant is 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.”
