Jospong Group of Companies (JGC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Gambia to replicate its African tailored waste management solution in The Gambia.
This move is seen as an “African solution to an African challenge.”
The signing ceremony was led by the Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Honourable Rohey John Manjang and Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong, Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group, at a brief but significant ceremony in Accra on Monday.
According to Madam Manjang, there was the need for Africa to devise homegrown solutions to its challenges, stating her ambition to build a waste treatment plant in The Gambia within six months through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
“I know, for Africa to go forward with our limited resources, we need to be innovative in making sure that we fix our problems. We cannot just say that we do not have money,” she said.
This followed a five-day duty tour of the Waste Management facilities of the Jospong Group in Ghana by a high-powered 12-Member Gambian government delegation made up of the Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Members of their National Assembly (Parliament), Council Members and technical team from their National Environment Agency.
She argued that governments cannot do things alone and must bring the private sector on board. “…that was why I set for myself a 6-months target that up to June, to build a waste management unit with PPP for The Gambia,” she noted.
Madam Manjang assured that the signing of the MoU marked the beginning of a concrete roadmap for implementing a comprehensive waste management solution for the Gambia.
“What we saw this past three days was amazing; it broke our heart for the simple reason that I could not have imagined the solution that the Western countries and institutions proposed with its inherent debt was right here with us in Africa, which does not require much feasibility because this is an African made solution,” she lamented.
While envisioning possible challenges, she remained committed to the fact that the dream is achievable. “It is doable, it is workable, it is achievable, and we can do it in The Gambia… what we saw is an all-inclusive solution, it’s from start to finish,” she intimated.
Madam Manjang was full of praise for the Jospong Group, expressing admiration for their innovative approaches and highlighting the Group’s comprehensive and entrepreneurial spirit.
She called for a collective effort and innovation to enable Africa move forward. “For Africa to go forward, it takes the private sector. It takes a leader to design the future, and it takes the followers to reach the destination,” she indicated.
For his part, the Executive Chairman of JGC, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, attributed the progress of his group to divine orchestration.
He shared his encounter with the Vice President of The Gambia, which led to the MoU signing.
“When ideas marry strategy, the product is money, so money is the son of strategy and ideas. What we need in Africa is ideas and strategy, not money.” he said
Dr. Siaw Agyepong also noted that Africa’s reliance on foreign aid had hindered its progress, cautioning that “If over the years, we’ve been happy with grants and loans, today Donald Trump has told us that we should go and develop our minerals.”
He, therefore, encouraged Africa to take charge of its development, citing examples of countries like Rwanda that had made significant progress through determination and innovation.
He further explained that the continent’s over-reliance on foreign aid had led to a lack of determination and innovation. “Collective determination and commitment is what has birthed what is happening in the waste management sector of Ghana,” he noted.
Dr. Siaw Agyepong expressed optimism about the project’s potential for success in The Gambia, urging Gambians to work together to achieve their goals.
Ghana, The Gambia Strengthen Ties: Protecting Ghanaian Investors and Promoting Africa-to-Africa Trade
Prior to the signing of the MoU, The Gambian delegation, led by Madam Manjang, paid a courtesy visit to Ghana’s Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, as part of their four-day visit to Ghana.
During the visit, the delegation took the opportunity to tour Jospong’s facilities in Accra and Kumasi, showcasing the company’s expertise in waste management and other environmental service solutions.
At the meeting with The Gambian delegation, Dr. Murtala Mohammed urged The Gambian government to safeguard Ghanaian investors, highlighting the long-standing bond between the two nations.
“The relationship between Ghana and Gambia predates independence. Our former Presidents, Kwame Nkrumah and Sir Dawda Jawara, were friends and comrades in the struggle for independence,” he noted.
According to him, investments will only flow when investors feel safe and their investments are secured.
He advised Jospong to be a good corporate citizen in The Gambia, saying, “You must ensure that your operations promote Ghana and protect the safety of Ghanaians in Gambia.”
“You are not just representing Jospong Group, but Ghana. Your operations should promote Ghana, and we will ensure that you do not embarrass Ghana because the country’s image is on the line,” Dr. Murtala Muhammed firmly assured.
He highlighted Jospong Group’s success in addressing sanitation challenges in Ghana.
“Jospong Group has been instrumental in keeping Ghana clean. Assuming we didn’t have Jospong, what would have happened to Ghana?” He asked.
Honourable Rohey John Manjang, The Gambian Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, acknowledged the commonalities between Ghana and Gambia, stating that relying on Ghana to solve Gambia’s environmental challenges was apt.
“We have a lot in common with Ghana, and we believe that by working together, we can find solutions to our environmental challenges,” she said.
She noted that adopting environmentally friendly waste management practices was crucial, citing the growing population’s detrimental impact on the environment.
“As our population grows, it’s causing environmental issues. We must manage waste in a way that’s friendly to the environment,” she said.
The Gambian delegation also visited key installations of Jospong Group, including the Accra Composting and Recycling Plant (ACARP), Kumasi Compost and Recycling Plant, the Plastic Recycling Plant, Zoomlion Waste Transfer Station, and the Kpone Re-engineered Landfill site among others.
