The CEO of Ghana First Company Ltd, a waste management firm, Frank Akuley says Ghana can rake in as much as $1billion a year from the management of fecal matter if the right technology is applied.
According to him, fecal matter should be seen as a raw material rather than waste as gas and fertilizer can be derived from it if processed.
“Talking about fertilizer, we are in talks with Heads all the districts in which we operate to secure about 5000 hectares of land per district for farming. The fertilizers produced will be used on these farms and we estimate that if this is done, five people will man every hectare times five thousand hectares which will give 25,000 people direct employment times 250 districts across the country which will give 6.5million youth meaningful jobs. Starch derived from the cassava that will be grown will be sent abroad and this will earn the country huge foreign exchange. This is how useful fecal matter can be if well managed” Frank Akuley said in an interview.
Meanwhile, he has expressed displeasure over efforts by some persons in authority to frustrate his company from constructing Ultra-Modern ICT toilet facilities all over the country after it entered into a Public-Private Partnership with the Metropolitan, Municipal and Districts Assemblies (MMDAs).
According to Mr.Akuley, he’s written several letters to the Presidency which shockingly ended up on the table of another competing waste management company, adding that all forms of opposition is being put up against his business.
“We’re aware of what is happening in the Ashanti Region where there are meetings upon meetings with people are moving around asking that my company is not allowed to do business in those areas as it will be a threat to the existence of another company.”
Mr. Akuley disclosed that he’s courted enemies among persons who feel he’s a threat to their business after his campaign for a better way of managing waste where individuals will get paid for the waste they generate.
“Currently Ghanaians throw away rubbish sometimes indiscriminately because they know when they keep it they’ll not get anything from it. But if they keep the waste and they get paid for it they’ll be encouraged to keep the rubbish and by this there will not be poor sanitation or littering. But as it stands now, individuals pay for the rubbish or waste they produce. This is what I said that has left my life in danger and I’m being chased with gun all over. I always have to call the police for protection, if not for the IGP I’m sure I would have been dead by now.”
He added: “Why should the system frustrate a company which even when operating 25% capacity will be able to employ 1.6 million Ghanaian youth. Our youth are unemployed and are hopeless when some of us if fairly treated will be able to help in reduce the huge unemployment rate in the country.”
Mr.Akuley stressed that Ghana First Company is not a scam as has been trumpeted by section of the public but rather government through the District Assemblies has failed to fulfill its part of the agreement where it has up to date not submitted a single land title certificate it assured to give to the company to secure a loan from Bank.
Ghana First Company Limited(GFCL) entered into a Public-Private Partnership with the Metropolitan, Municipal and Districts Assemblies (MMDAs) in Ghana concerning the construction of Ultra-Modern ICT toilet facilities all over the country.
The MMDAs gave an undertaking to provide bare lands and the Land Title Documents on the lands for the construction of the toilets. The structures built and the Land Title Documents were to be used solely by GFCL as collateral in addition to other requirements demanded by the financial institution for the funding.
Though GFCL has provided its requirements to the financial institutions to secure funding of the project, the MMDAs have until date refused to provide the Land Title Documents, a key requirement by the financial institutions.
The company has written a letter of complaint to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development over the state of affairs.
It has also petitioned the President and copied the Council of State.
The non-cooperation by the MMDAs has unduly hindered the company’s efforts to secure funding for the project.
