DevCon ends in Kenya

The Devolution Conference (DevCon 2025) ended in the Kenyan County of Homa Bay, with high-profile political leaders placing their hope in the waste management solutions showcased by the Jospong Group of Companies (JGC) to solve the daunting sanitation and waste treatment challenges in the East African country. 

Making history as the only West African country to participate in the DevCon, the JGC showcased Innovations along the sanitation and waste value chain – ranging from collection to recycling.

The Innovations attracted the President of Kenya, Dr William Samoei Ruto and other personalities to the JGC Pavilion at the DevCon, where he spoke highly of the trailblazing role the company was playing in dealing with waste and Sanitation in Ghana and other parts of Africa.

“So, this is the Pavilion of the Ghanaian man whose waste management solutions are being hailed across Africa, and Kenya needs these innovations,” he remarked.

Another high profile personality who came to catch a glimpse of the waste management solutions at the JGC pavilion was former Kenyan Prime Minister, Raila Odinga. 

Some of the Governors of the 47 counties in Kenya also led delegations to visit the JGC pavilion and hold discussions with the Executive Chairman of the company on potential partnerships and investment opportunities.

Apart from the waste management sector, the Kirinyaga County Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Dr Gachara John, also  held discussions with the Executive Chairman of the JGC, Joseph Siaw Agyepong, at the pavilion, where they discussed investment opportunities in the agriculture value chain, especially in rice production. 

JGC Kenya expansion

After over two decades of leading waste management in Ghana, the JGC, which has over 60 subsidiaries, is expanding into other African countries. 

Addressing over 12,000 delegates at DevCon 2025, Mr Agyepong said through effective partnership with the Kenyan government and governors in the counties, the waste and sanitation challenges in the country would be turned into opportunities for job creation.

For instance, he said with a population of 57 million people generating 28,000 tonnes of waste daily, more than 52,000 jobs would be generated in just one year through partnerships with the JGC.

Mr Agyepong said the setting up of waste treatment plants will create 30,000 jobs from waste collection, transportation and sweeping; 21,000 by the integrated waste management plants; while 1,800 will be created from green initiatives, including data collection and monitoring and validation of the carbon market.

Strengthening partnership

The Deputy Chairman of the Council of Governors, Mwalimu Mutahi Kahiga, said the essence of the devolution conference was to empower local authorities to roll out policies that would promote bottom-up development.

In that regard, he encouraged the governors and leaders of the various counties to take advantage of the JGC waste management solutions to solve their sanitation and environmental problems.

He said beyond DevCon 2025, it was important for the counties and JGC to deepen collaboration for mutual benefit. 

DevCon 2025

The DevCon is Kenya’s largest biennial gathering that provides a platform for exploring key interventions for addressing national development challenges.

DevCon 2025, which is the ninth edition, is being attended by over 12,000 delegates on the theme “For the people; for prosperity: devolution as a catalyst for equity, inclusion and social justice.”

The conference is ongoing at the Homa Bay County and brought together government officials, development partners, the private sector, civil society, and international stakeholders.

Ghana’s sanitation and waste mismanagement giant, the Jospong Group of Companies (JGC) is participating in the DevCon 2025 as a platinum partner.