A Better World

The Accra Waste Math

2013-01-29T06:35:00.001+00:00

“In the midst of the catastrophic pollution of the environment by humans, we have chosen to take a stand for and with the environment against humans” – Gideon Marcel

If you are terrified by the sight of the disgusting pile of waste in the gutters, on the streets and inside every nook and cranny of Accra, then you probably don’t live in Ghana. The country has a severe environmental crisis and featuring prominently on that list is sanitation.

When we talk about sanitation in Ghana, the argument is mostly political, social and cultural (attitudinal), but to really grasp the seriousness of the mess, you have to do a simple math to create a powerful story. The Ghana Youth Environmental Movement (GYEM) is building a generation wide movement of young people to solve the environmental crisis in Ghana, and we have done a little math to tell the scale of the sanitation problem and offer a sustainable solution once and for all.

Our simple math has 3 numbers:

1. 2,500 tons

This is the amount of waste that is generated in Accra per day. Out of this number, 2,200 tons is collected and dumped at landfills, the remaining 300 tons find their way into open drains, streets, etc. Multiplying the amount of waste land filled by 365 days gives the total amount of waste Accra produces per year as 803,000 tons.

2. 10 Megawatts (MW)

Officials of the Accra Compost & Recycling Plant (ACRP), has indicated to the government that it is possible to use appropriate technology to produce 10MW of electricity out of 1,000 tons of waste per day. This amount of energy can power several thousands of households. To put this figure into perspective, two (2) waste-to-energy plants or a single one with combined capacity, with appropriate technology can swallow up all the waste Accra city produces in a day and still lack enough waste to power the plants. Simply put, we would run out of waste in the city.

Sweden runs the most effective and efficient waste management system in the world. The garbage generates 20% of the country’s district heating and provides electricity to 250,000 homes. “The only problem with the Sweden Waste Management system is that it is too successful”. The waste Sweden produces is just not enough that they import 800,000 tons of waste from their neighbors Norway to keep the plants running. The amount they import is nearly equivalent to the amount of waste Accra produces in a whole year.

3. US$ 150m

Waste-energy experts in Ghana indicate that this is roughly the amount of money that can fund the operation of a waste-energy plant with appropriate technology to produce 10MW- 12MW per hour using between 1,000-1,500 tons of municipal solid waste per day. These figures are not perfect but are highly reliable.

So why hasn’t it been done? The excuse the government and municipal waste management officials say is that there is no budget and funds for this. We at Ghana Youth Environmental Movement are saying that we can find that money through a Price for Pollution. (Read about our Price for Pollution solutions here-http://gideoncommey.blogspot.com/2013/01/what-is-price-for-pollution-why-you.html).

We just need the political will to do that. Yes, we can raise that money over here in Ghana. The solution is a Price for Pollution and it holds the keys to a green renewable future.

Every rapid transformation change requires a movement to drive it, our movement has just arrived and there’s only one thing on our mind – environmental power shift in Ghana.

Gideon Marcel (Campaigns Team, Ghana Youth Environmental Movement).

PLEASE SHARE on Facebook and tweet a copy from here (http://gideoncommey.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-accra-waste-math.html) with hashtag #Ghwastemath

A landfill site in Accra

What is Price for Pollution? Why You Must Support the Campaign

2013-01-16T08:37:00.001+00:00

"Those who say it can't be done should get out of the way of those already doing it"

For the past few weeks, we (Ghana Youth Environmental Movement) have been making noise about campaigning for a Price for Pollution in Ghana in 2013. We have been dead serious about it and very clear in details. As our theme for this year- ‘Our Year of Environmental Power Shift’ suggests, we believe that a price for pollution is the most ambitious and strategic campaign we can ever embark on in this country at this present time to shift power towards our future.

This article serves to explain in very simple terms, what a price for pollution campaign means, why the future of young people in Ghana depends on it and why every person reading this piece and all young people in this country must support it.

So what is a price for pollution?

What we are saying is that industries must pay for polluting the environment. A price could be in the form of tax prescribed by a government’s authority. We are making this a big moral issue. The argument is that if it is morally wrong to pollute the environment and/or wreck this planet, then it’s equally immoral to benefit from that pollution and wreckage without paying for it.

We know the groups that pollute - individual citizens, companies, industries, institutions, etc. We all pollute in this country and as such may feel guilty and defensive. However, as much as it is very fair to say that everyone pollute in this country, it is equally fair to also say that not everyone who pollute benefit from that pollution and use their riches and power to block progress towards clean and renewable energy. So our campaign is naming the villains – plastics, mining and oil companies - to avoid any misinterpretation of the basic principles that birthed it.

In addition, we believe that activating this topic of paying for pollution automatically activates the broader perspective of the issue at hand - liquid waste from industries, hospitals and faeces been dumped into the sea without treatment, illegal mining (galamsey), the massive air pollution by the burning of e-waste and the importation of these e-waste to flood this country. These are other aspects that the campaign would touch, but we can only start from where we have the strategic capacity to make our voice heard.

Why do we want a price for pollution in Ghana?

1.Plastics, mining and oil companies currently do not pay for pollution and that is unethical.

They may compensate communities for destroying their habitats as part of their Social Corporate Responsibility, which might not even reach the real beneficiaries. Our argument is that this money should be centralized by an authority for such community rehabilitation and the progress of such projects be tracked to ensure maximum transparency and sustainability. Every oil pipeline is bound to spill and so it is only fair that even before oil companies drill a single barrel of oil, they pay a price on that barrel. We might not understand all the economic issues involved and that is why we are making this a moral issue and not an economic one.

2.It will provide more green jobs and create excitement around plastic waste collection

Every time a country decides to go green, that decision results in the creation of more jobs. There are 1,000s and millions of green jobs that exist in only recycling. In Columbia, plastics are being used to make chandeliers and in our own Ghana empty water bottles to build a couch. The fact is that government knows going green is good but their excuse to cover up the lack of political will has been the fact that there is no budget for that. And so we are saying that charge a price for pollution and use that money to set up the recycle plants in communities.

CHF International with partnership from the government ended its 3 years Youth Engagement in Service delivery (YES) project in 2012, which saw the construction of 4 'Buy back' centers for the gathering and buying of pure water sachets to recycling companies for recycling. (http://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2012/12/20/chf-international-ends-three-year-ghana-youth-project/)

The plants are situated in Avenor, Nima, Ga Mashie and Alajo. The project costs thousands of US dollars and currently provides employment for young people in those areas. What we are saying is that we don’t have to wait for CHF in order to create jobs and ensure good sanitation in our own country, let us do it ourselves!

3. In the short term, it would encourage investment in renewable energy and provide competition for fossil fuel corporations. In the long term it will divest fossil fuel companies and save our planet.

Renewable energy from sources like solar and wind tend to be expensive and as such they need subsidies to make them affordable to consumers. Our position is that the government should price pollution from these fossil fuel companies and us that to provide these subsidies and not taxes from ordinary Ghanaians. This will make it attractive for investment.

Africa's largest solar power plant of 155MW is to be constructed in Ghana in 2015 (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/dec/04/africa-largest-solar-power-plant-ghana) by a British company called Blue Energy through a feed-in tariff that would be borne by our taxes. This is reported to increase our energy mix from renewable from 1% to 10%.

4. It will inspire fossil fuel companies and other industries to shift towards green energy and be careful about pollution.

Industries know what to do prevent or minimize pollution but they won’t do it. A price will make them think twice. Plastic manufacturers would make sure they have recycling plants constructed before they start production. Technology transfer has now ensured that fossil fuel companies can do what we call carbon capture and storage to cut their emissions. Once we strip their social license, they would be responsible!

5. It will decentralize waste management in Ghana as a community responsibility and initiative. This will empower households and communities to manage their waste effectively and improve upon sanitation.

One reason why waste management has become a failure in this country is that we have privatized it wrongly. Communities must be empowered with the capacity and logistics to handle their own waste. A price for pollution when executed strategically with transparency and accountability could reasonably build a recycling plant per community per year. This is not a dream, it is a possibility, and it can work. Communities would take care of their own space and it will provide more jobs.

Government should rather engage private waste management companies in very ambitious waste-energy technology. Sweden runs a wildly successful waste-to-energy program, generating 20 percent of the nation’s district heating and generating electricity for a quarter-million homes. But Swedes just aren’t producing enough garbage for the program and have found a unique solution: importing trash from neighboring Norway.

Norway pays Sweden to take its trash, Sweden gets the heat and electricity, and Sweden exports the burned debris back to Norway. Swedes aren’t producing enough garbage for their successful waste-to-energy program. (http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/science/201212/99153.php).

If Ghana decides to run an ambitious waste-to-energy program, within only 12months, all the waste we have in this country won’t be enough to sustain our plants and we would end up importing more waste to generate more power. This is reality, this is happening. If the government doesn’t have money to run such systems, what we are putting on the table is that a price for pollution can raise revenue to start something now.

How do we get there?

We will campaign and campaign till our voice is heard, till we are listened to. One of the alternatives that we are putting on the table is that there should be an authority to calculate, demand, enforce and run this price for pollution. There is a Ministry of Communication in addition to a National Communication Authority, why can’t we have such thinking for the environment.

We believe that “perpetual optimism is a force multiplier” and above all the impossible is the un-attempted. "Those who say it can't be done should get out of the way of those already doing it" .

By: Gideon Commey (Campaign Strategist, GYEM)

“With Deep Regret From Kumasi”

2012-12-25T21:08:00.000+00:00

A sea of sorrow raptured my heart as I got informed that some fellow citizens had been trapped in a ‘galamsey’ pit in Kumasi, Ashanti Region.

How could this happen especially when we are all eager to behold the New Year?

The 7 energetic Ghanaians who went several feet below the earth surface in search of precious minerals were trapped in the deep pit after the in caved in on them.

The 2 who have been rescued so far died upon their arrival at the hospital with 5 more still underground.

The issue of 'galamsey' has long remained a threat to Ghana’s labour force in mining communities.

It is about time we all rise to support efforts to promote small-scale mining to replace ‘galamsey’ activities in Ghana before some of those people we care most about are wiped off the surface of the earth by our collective negligence and ‘’sweep under carpet” attitude.

There are certainly numerous ways we can make this business safe one.

Share your thoughts below

Think CORRECTION not PUNISHMENT!

2012-12-17T18:09:00.000+00:00

Looking at the photo above, I once again stand to condemn the kind of correctional method employed but some teachers in our basic school.

Its quite surprising some teachers in this 21st will resort to inflicting this kind of pain on students and for that matter future leaders in the name of correction.

Whatever the offense committed, I believe there are better ways of barring a student from doing them that using two canes on them.

Dear Teacher,

Lets think of CORRECTION rather than PUNISHMENT!

John Mahama Wins Presidential Election in Ghana

2012-12-11T19:25:00.000+00:00

The Chairman of Ghana’s Electoral Commission, Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan last night declared Ghana’s incumbent president John Dramani Mahama who filled in for the late John Mills few months ago, winner of the 2012 presidential elections.

President John Mahama

President Mahama who ran on the ticket of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), pulled a total of 5,574,761 representing 50.70% to win the polls held on Friday and Saturday.

The presidential candidate of the major opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Akufo-Addo had 5,248,898 of the valid votes cast, representing 47.74% with the other parties sharing the remaining 1.56% of total valid votes cast.

Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive People’s Party came third with 64,362 votes representing 0.59%.

Out of the total 14,158,890 registered voters, 11,246,982 voters exercised their franchise. 10,995,262 of this number were deemed valid. The total rejected votes stood at 251,720. The total percentage of voting turnout was 79.43%

Full statistics are available on www.ec.gov.gh

Congratulations to His Excellency John Dramani Mahama

We ask for a peaceful, transparent and an all-inclusive government

Saint John’s Grammar School Marks 58th Speech and Prize Giving Day

2012-12-03T17:01:00.000+00:00

Saint John’s Grammar School, Achimota last Saturday marked its 58th Speech and Prize Giving day.
The special guest of honor Hon. Minister of Education Hon. Lee Ocran who was represented by the Deputy Greater Accra Regional Minister Mr. Isaac Nii Djanmah Venderpuiye said that education plays a crucial role in the molding of the youth and national development hence the need for the State to pay attention to the institutions that provides training to the youth to become useful agents for development.

Speaking on the theme: "Infrastructural Development- Key to Quality Education," he said government is pursuing quality education with infrastructural development as kingpin.

Mr Vanderpuiye said the Government is committed to making education affordable, accessible and relevant to the needs of the Ghanaian society through the expansion and provision of infrastructure, teaching and learning materials and adequate training of teachers.

The deputy minister further added that it was wrong for the nation to overlook the general welfare of teachers who are the pillars upon which quality education rest on.

He congratulated the Old Students Association (JOSA) for complementing government's effort in making the dreams of quality education a reality.

Mrs. Gloria Laryea, the headmistress of the school said textbooks meant for the first year students as well as personal belongings of students were destroyed by rain.

She however said the Ghana Education Trust Fund, parents and guardians and the Old Students Association have assisted the school with infrastructural developments.

Mrs. Laryea mentioned the government had built a six-unit classroom block, boys dormitory block, girls dormitory block and a 12- unit classroom block whilst the headmistress's office had been renovated.

The headmistress however pleaded with Government to help the school with a modern dining hall and modern kitchen complex, staff bungalows, a modern auditorium and streetlights.

On academic performance, Mrs Gloria Laryea said she was gratified by the monumental strides made by the school despite its challenges for the 58 years of its existence.

The school has a total student population of 2,228 with 117 teaching staff and 39 non-teaching staff.

Master Freeman Easmon , School Prefect pleaded with the government to provide the academic institution with a dining hall and more dormitory blocks to cater for the needs of the students.

Jonas Nyabor/GNA - Nov. 17

TORTURE OR DISCIPLINE?

2012-08-27T16:50:00.000+00:00

A primary school student gets 'punished' by way of lashes with a cane somewhere in Africa

One would wonder if this is indeed the way to go in the 21st Century. It looks like extreme torture rather than discipline for whatever offense this young one has committed. Indeed, from the photo above, we can easily deduce that the other students behind are standing by in utmost shock and fear, waiting for their turn of the bitter pill their colleague is taking.

Aren't there better ways of correcting a child in school or at home?

Should such punishment be abolished? If yes, join the fight against corporal punishment in schools and lets save our future leaders from torture disguised as discipline.

CRACKING THE WHIP WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOUR IN AFRICA!!

2012-06-13T17:20:00.001+00:00

The trend globally has called for all to join hands in urgent need for law-enforcement agents to strictly enforce environmental law and regulations in order to preserve and protect the fast dwindling natural resources in Africa from further destruction.

Until the laws are made to bite those ‘respectful’ and ‘defended’ greedy individuals, valuable environmental resources would only be a dream.

It’s about time these self-conceited persons concerned about fattening their bellies are stopped and made to face the music.

Illegal chainsaw operators and illegal miners are the main culprits in degrading and polluting our environment. The once thick forests and clean clear water bodies are now destroyed to by these people at the expense of the entire nation especially the rural folks.

When and how did this whole situation start? We all keep wondering, seeking whom to point accusing fingers at. It is quite surprising to know that the very people we voted for and look up to, expecting them to ensure this negative practices is stopped are the same people permitting it to happen.

Reports indicate that even some traditional chiefs supposed to be custodians of the land and all natural resources in it are in liaising with the perpetuators of the criminal activities.

We all believe the law is no respecter of persons and so we demand that the whip is cracked and all who are found guilty must be severely punished without fear or favor.

This must be done to detest all other criminals who flout or are planning to flout environmental law and regulations for their selfish interest.

One would wonder for how long we as a nation would sit down with our arms in between our thighs and watch helplessly while few greedy irresponsible and wicked individuals deplete our natural forests and destroy our rivers, lakes and farmlands with impunity.

The climate in several parts of the continent is evidently being affected negatively due deforestation and subsequent drought caused by the acts of these people.

Our dismal failure to ensure that the laws are enforced have resulted in the loss of valuable foreign exchange that could have pushed the nations several steps ahead on the economic ladder.

S nations are thriving simply by making the best out of natural resources and have been able to gain the status of a buoyant economy as a result of that; carefully protecting their natural resources.

Obviously, nature has endowed Africa with abundance of natural resources from thick Forest, Gold, Crude Oil, Manganese, Diamond, Agricultural products for local and foreign consumption such as Cocoa, Timber and Coffee. It is therefore our responsibility to do all we can to protect and make enough out of them and improve the living standards of the people here but it seem to be in the reverse courtesy the activities of some selfish individuals.

That is why it is a pity that our law-enforcement agents have not lived up to their responsibility by way of putting a stop to the unending exploitation of these resources.

The damages have been cause; nonetheless, we can still join forces to voice out our grievances while calling on the security and law-enforcement agencies to act now to protect the few more resources we have left.

The whip must be cracked. The enemies of the nation irrespective of who they are must fished out and severely dealt with.

The time to act is NOW!!!.

BRIDGING THE GENERATIONAL GAP (PARENT-CHILD FRICTION)

2012-06-13T15:17:00.002+00:00

The difference between the current generation or the young ones today and the past generation supposed to be the parents today have brought about several challenges in creating a home for harmonious living. The friction simply results from the different perspective from which the two parties see, understand and relate to issues and choices of life.

The parents and guardians are in a dilemma as to how best to relate their children and wards. The young men and women of this generation seem to have tremendous opportunities as well as serious challenges before them.

However, it is obvious that most of these young ones are finding it difficult to make the right choices that would impact them positively. They need parental guidance but the big question is, will they allow their parents guide them?

While parents feel duty-bound to help their children succeed in making right choices, children find it more of dictatorship as they believe they belong to a completely different generation hence their parents do not know their way round modem challenges the generation is confronted with.

The trend from the child’s perspective makes it necessary for parents to leave their wards to take care of their own destinies unlike in the past generations where parents virtually steered the lives of their children.

The generation then had little to say especially when it comes to choices and preferences that affected them.

There are some realities on the ground that makes parents now rather so skeptical about allowing their children take decisions on their own.

One is the perspective from which the generation today sees things.

Most parents believe their wards see things superficially and so they do not give serious thought to certain situations and issues before making decision hence end up in trouble. “Not all that glitter is Gold” some parents say.

The other reason is the amount of influence the generation today allow peer to make in their life and choices. The generation today seems to agree and go with whatever their peers suggest rather than what their parents offer them.

The reason for this is that, they do not want to feel left out or ridiculed by their peers if they do not conform.

From the parents' point of view, they have nothing against their children neither are they envious of the enormous opportunities the generation today have. Their plea is just invite their children to accommodate their suggestions and advices even if they will alter it a little.

They are optimistic with this; the children will have the necessary tools and weapons to overcome the challenges of the current generation.

gomestic.com/family/bridging-the-generational-gap-parent-child-friction/

SPARE SAINT JOHN’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL THE POLITICS

2012-04-05T16:51:00.000+00:00

Considering the political euphoria the entire nation is preparing to be thrown into in anticipation of the 2012 elections, it is undeniable the fact that the various political parties would adapt to diverse means of appealing to the conscience of the general public for their votes.

However important that is in ensuring effective democracy, our political parties must know certain acts are simply below the belt. Some of our public places of convergence must be spared the politics. Mentioning a few, I believe public schools, police stations and hospitals should not be taken advantage of by hoisting party flags or displaying posters close to them to attract all who patronise these public facilities.

I find this necessary to say because a public institution, Saint John’s Grammar School, Achimota has been decorated from one end to the other with miniature flags of the New Patriotic (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC). All erected poles on the frontage of the school have been used by the NPP and the NDC which is just not right.

I think our politicians must know this and spare our police stations, hospitals, public schools and more specifically Saint John’s Grammar School the politics.