The Integrated Recycling and Compost Plants (IRECOPs) project that was launched with sod-cutting ceremonies across the 16 regions of the country in 2020, has reached far advanced stages of completion with the first of it all being commissioned by the president, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on the 24th August, 2022.
In a grand event at the IRECOP site in Damongo, the President, in the company of the Savannah Regional Minister – Hon. Saeed Muhazu Jibril, Member of parliament for the Damango Constituency – Hon. Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister for Information – Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister for Local Government – Dan Kwaku Botwe, Minister for Roads and Highways – Hon. Kwasi Amoako-Attah and some government officials graced the occasion to rally their support to this landmark achievement in the Savannah Region and the Country. Seated graciously in the midst of the people of Damongo was the Vice President of the Savannah House of Chiefs – Buipewura Abdullai Jinapor, and 32 other paramount Chiefs.
The event was kick started by a warm welcome address by the Savanah Regional Minister, iterating the salience of the completion of the project and its tremendous foreseeable benefits to the people of Damongo and surrounding communities. He then thanked the president for showing endless support to the Savanah Region and extended profound gratitude again for the creation of the new regions which includes the Savanah Region, and said that this will foster speedy development and build a strong foundation for sustainable development in the regions and country. “Now Savannah has a place, respect and recognition. And for that, the people are very grateful.”
Followed by a message from the Yagbonwura – President of the Savannah Regional House of Chiefs, he complimented the president on delivering on his promise to deliver a region to the people of the Gonja Kingdom, which has resulted in the establishment of other structures and facilities for his people. He then thanked the executive chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies for establishing the integrated recycling and compost plant in the region and assured that the people in the region will assist in providing raw materials to the plant and also develop maintenance culture to protect the facility.
Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong spoke right after and in his speech, recalled the task received by him and the Jospong Group of Companies to establish a composting plant, which has been delivered after just a couple of years. Highlighting the superb works that has been done in these years. He stated that, the global crisis highlights the president’s vision and foresight of investing into a compost fertilizer facility, saying: “Global events of today points to your visionary leadership, when you supported the establishment of a compost plant, which had the capacity to produce fertilizer, little did we know that there will be a Russia-Ukrainian war. As we all know, the war has had serious consequences on fertilizer imports. The capacity to forsee problems and respond to them with the boldness of vision is the mark of a good leader like President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.”
The president has established 38 waste treatment plants in the areas of solid, liquid and medical waste across the 16 regions of the country which will collect, treat and process municipal waste into usable products.”
He also reiterated the importance of the plant to the people as it will create several job opportunities, 200 direct jobs and 300 indirect jobs for people that will haul the waste to the treatment site.
He expressed profound gratitude to the President, he Hon. Minister for Sanitation and Waste Management – Cecilia Abena Dapah, Parliamentary Select Committee on Environment and Local Government, Engineers and Contractors, Chiefs and the people of Damongo for making this construction process a great success.
Speaking at the ceremony, the President indicated that waste management issues has been a perennial problem the country faces. “It has been a perennial problem for our country. But, fortunately, for me, in my time, I came across a man who was prepared to partner with government to deal with the question of waste disposal in our country. And it has been one of the highlights of my government – the partnership that the government has made with the Jospong Group of Companies, headed by its Executive Chairman, Joseph Siaw Agyepong,” he said.
In thanking Joseph Siaw Agyepong for his contribution “to the development of our country,” President Akufo-Addo noted that “any serious businessman that has a programme for development in his sector, and is seeking the partnership and assistance of government, this Government, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s Government, will give him that support and partnership for us to develop the country together.”
This highlights the President and this government’s unflinching support to the private sector development.
