LEKMA, NGO sign MoU on zero waste management initiative

A youth-led gender-balanced advocacy group, the Green Africa Youth Organisation (GAYO),  has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly (LEKMA), to implement the Zero Waste for Sustainable Cityscape project.  

The project is aimed at creating awareness on proper waste management and segregation techniques to foster sustainability and community ownership.

It is also intended to help address social and environmental challenges, and improve waste management and air pollution in the municipality.

The MoU, signed last Friday, would help the two parties carry out research and provide solutions to pressing environmental issues through youth empowerment, skills development, and public education as they work directly with local communities to reduce the vulnerability of groups that are at risk of climate impacts.

Details of MoU

It would establish an institutional mechanism for youth engagement in climate change policy and disaster risk reduction while supporting public, private, and informal waste management stakeholders to maximise the potential of zero waste in urban communities.

GAYO as part of the MoU will provide expertise and resources for the delivery of the Zero Waste for a Sustainable Cityscape in the municipality and synergize with the Assembly to formulate and design an effective waste collection framework that supports the livelihood of target groups and small and medium scale enterprises.

LEKMA and GAYO will work closely to conduct research on waste material within the Assembly, to be published as literature or a scientific paper as well as to design a material recovery facility or a buy-back centre for waste collection and recycling.

Vision

In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Zero Waste Cities Manager, Jacob Johnson Attakpah, said the vision for the Zero Waste Cities Project, “is to be able to divert as much waste as possible from landfills, marine, terrestrial ecosystems, and from burning pits, so that we can create a blue circular economy around waste here”.

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Mr Attakpah said the project, when successfully implemented, would serve as a model to allow the Assembly to use the lessons and replicate them across other areas within the municipality.

Commendation

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of LEKMA, Mordecai Quarshie lauded GAYO for the project he described as “futuristic” stating that the project will make immediate impact on the waste situation in the municipality.

“I am very hopeful and optimistic that this initiative will go a long way to solving our waste management challenges. Plastic waste is one of the most insidious forms of waste. Therefore, it is very important that we learn to handle it well.”  he said.