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Ghana continues to face a problem with waste management and despite the challenges, the JOSPONG Group, continues to blaze the trail when it comes to managing waste in the country.

On Monday, the Local Government committee in Parliament, visited the Kumasi Compost and Recycling Plant (KCARP) to get first hand experience of how waste is managed at the ultramodern plant.

The General Manager of KCARP, Mr. Samuel Ntumy,
in a brief discussion with the Members of Parliament outlined the various benefits KCARP has brought to the people of Kumasi.

He explained that through the sorting process the plant offers, they are able to recover close to 90% of all materials in waste. This mode of recovery according him, ensures that land use is economized.

"We don't landfill waste so far because 90% is recovered and sent back to industries. We only landfill at a rate of 10%", he said.

Mr. Samuel Ntumy further explained to the MPs that KCARP, taps into the UN SDGs.

He noted that the plant is having a positive impact on the hunger situation, promising clean water, decent work and employment and above all, having a positive impact on life.

He revealed that currently, their facility is the "biggest waste treatment plant you can find in Africa at 1200 tonnes per day."

Mr. Ntumy continued that the capacity of the plant makes it possible for them to match all the waste generated in Kumasi for proper processing.

He noted that the facilty comes with a sorting plant which separates waste into various fractions. The process as explained by him involves mechanised and a bit of manual sorting.

"We are able to recycle all the plastics within the country", Mr. Ntumy said.

He added that "here we are able to process the organic waste in the compost tunnels so that we come out with compost. This compost we are able to sell to farmers...we are able to generate 500,000 bags of compost per year".

During the session, Mr. Samuel Ntumy, appealed to the MPs to help the company secure Off-taker agreements with the government for the smooth running of the projects.

Group Chairman of JOSPONG, Mr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, praised the MPs for their continuous support.

He told the audience that Zoomlion has come a long way from using tricycles to collect waste in 2006 to occupying the space as an innovative and technology-driven waste management company.

"In simple term, we came in with a tricycle to solve waste collection; no one ever dreamt of this", he said.

He remarked that he learnt the alternate use of technology to treat waste either than landfill sites, from China.

According to him, when KCARP was established in Kumasi, their target was to treat 1500 tonnes of waste. However, inadequate funds according to Mr. Agyepong, made them start treating 600 tonnes just like they did in Accra.

"All the municipalities in Kumasi are using one landfill site so it makes sense to target treating 1500 tonnes of waste although we have signed an off taker agreement 600 tonnes."

Chairman of the Committee, Hon Sanid Suleman Adamu, congratulated KCARP for the work they have done.

On behalf of his colleagues, he noted that they were highly impressed with what they have seen and urged government to assist KCARP in their role in managing waste.