The Dutch government has approved a US$130mn grant to support the implementation of a waste management programme in Ghana
The Ghanaian Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) will be given the funds for use in arranging logistics and purchasing machinery to beef up existing waste management facilities.
The minister for local government and rural development, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, said at the launch of the National Sanitation Taskforce in Accra that the taskforce has a three-month period to improve the filth situation in the country by de-silting gutters, distributing waste collection bins to households and embarking on a public education drive.
The minister added that, although the country had made lots of progress as far as sanitation was concerned, the 2015 Millennium Development Goals target of ensuring environmental sustainability appeared to be out of reach.
Ofosu Ampofo revealed that it was under this score that the Dutch embassy in the country had offered a helping hand.
According to the minister, some agreements have been reached with the Dutch government to release the first tranche of the grant facility by the end of the month for the purchase of skip loaders and some refuse collection bins. In addition to the grant facility, the minister noted that the Dutch government was making available US$39mn to the private sector to support the country’s commitment towards ensuring environmental sustainability.
The ministry has also secured an extra US$11mn credit facility from the India Exim Bank to purchase additional logistics and machinery for local level waste management.
