The government of Ghana has received funding from the Swiss government and the European Union (EU) to manage electronic waste in Ghana.
These funds are to help the development and implementation of a national strategy to help curb the electronic waste hazard at Agbogboloshie.
Agbogboloshie; a former wetland in Accra is now home to the world’s largest electronic waste dumping site.
Ghana has been ranked among the top 10 world’s largest e-waste dump site with millions of tons of e-waste processed each year in Agbogbloshie.
Ghana imports about 215,000 metric tons of European computers, cell phones, microwaves, refrigerators, televisions and other electronic goods, making Agbogbloshie the second-largest site for processing such e-waste in all of West Africa.
Scrap dealers in their search for metals to sell, burn the electronics after dismantling them with basic tools like hammers and screw drivers and in some cases, with their bare hands.
Injuries, chronic nausea, anorexia and respiratory problems are some of the health hazards persons engaged in this business experience.
The Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation has signed $1.2 million agreement to manage the situation.
The Standard Compliance and Enforcement Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Lambert Faabeleun told Citi News, the fund from the Swiss government is to last for a period of two years.
“Within the two years, we have to get this national framework in place and then activate a collection system that will streamline the chain of the operation,” he remarked.
Faabeleun added that the fund from the EU is meant for the development of “green businesses…and that money will be available for them to create e-waste in a clean manner.”
By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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