Achimota Residents: Turn Landfill Disaster Into Waste-To-Energy Opportunity!

Being a great believer in the art and science of  turning a disaster into  an opportunity, I would urge the Achimota residents affected by the siting of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly's (AMA) landfill site in their neighbourhood, to start thinking  along those lines too.


Lateral thinking  will give them a resolution of their problem - by providing   them with   a long-term disease-free solution to what presently is, to all intents and purposes,  a sitting health time-bomb.


For their information, as luck would have it,  GIMPA and Lancaster University's Lancaster Environment Centre  are holding  an Executive Master Class on waste-to-energy from  March 18th to 20th 2013.


My advice to the wealthiest and most educated amongst those  residents of Achimota  affected by the  siting of the landfill waste disposal site, is: whatever they  do they must attend that two-day master class.


They can turn their  disaster into an opportunity for their neighbourhood association - to work towards owning  a relatively small  waste-to-energy plant for all the residents of Achimota to enjoy low-cost power.


Perhaps they can also  contact the Royal Danish Embassy to try and learn from the experience of wealthy Danish exurbs such as  Horsholm - which have waste-to-energy plants sited near them.


They will find that with the assurance of an off-take agreement with the Electricity Company of Ghana, obtaining equity financing and low-cost debt from the EU for a modern waste-to-energy power plant to turn their neighbourhood association into an independent power producer, ought to be  fairly straightforward.


I will be happy to introduce a Dutch businessman who can facilitate the financing for them.


Let them network with the CEO of the UK consulting firm,  Envirofly, Dr. Akanimo Odon, who consults for Lancaster University. They can contact GIMPA for his contact details.


As inspiration, I   will quote  his words (which no doubt will be very sweet music to their ears!)  to them: "... consulting for organisations, government and individuals to
manage their wastes appropriately. We have extensive expertise in
delivering these. It might interest you to know that Lancaster Environment
Centre is one of the most reputable environmental organisations in Europe
with over 24 environmental companies resident within its facility. So we
have all the expertise to drive any environmental initiative or programme.

There is a huge offering here. "


Let the residents of Achimota affected by the siting of the AMA landfill  site find a way to get Zoomlion and J. Stanley Owusu & Co. to underwrite that Executive Master Class on waste-to-energy at GIMPA.


They ought to get the AMA and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to do same,  too.


That will make it possible to  get all the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in Ghana to attend the two-day GIMPA Executive Master Class in Waste-To-Energy too.


That way,  other areas in Ghana affected by the siting of landfill sites can finally find relief - and get the added bonus of enjoying low-cost electricity.


GIMPA too can benefit:  by partnering Envirofly and Lancaster University to develop a course in waste management for students from Ghana and the rest of West Africa - and develop a new income-generating revenue-stream from consulting (for local governments and other clients in Ghana and West Africa!) on waste management  and the building of waste-to-energy plants. So all involved win. Fantastic.


Finally  (although I digress a little here)  let those three important and influential politicians - the Hon. Alban Bagbin; the Hon. Enoch Teye Mensah; and the Hon. Cletus Avoka - appointed by President Mahama to ensure that key National Democratic Congress manifesto project promises are completed before the end of his 4-year tenure, take the same creative approach to their very important national assignment.


Some of us are happy and willing to help them for free -  as our patriotic duty to Mother Ghana.  A word to the wise...


Tel: 027 745 3109.


Email: peakofi.thompson@gmail.com.