The Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Ophelia Mensah-Hayford, has inaugurated a Circular Economy Centre at the Ho Technical University (HTU) in the Volta Region.

Backed by USD6 million in funding from global partners, including the European Union and the Canadian High Commission, the Centre aims to foster sustainable economic growth by reducing waste and promoting resource efficiency.

Speaking at the launch, the Minister underscored government’s commitment to advancing from a linear to a circular economy.

“This Centre represents a vital shift in our approach, focusing not only on waste management but on building a resilient economy that provides job opportunities, especially for youth and women,” she stated.

The project aligns with government’s Circular Economy Action Plan, focusing on key economic sectors such as agriculture, water, and food, which are expected to benefit significantly from this model.

The Centre is designed to train 2,000 small-scale entrepreneurs and pilot 200 circular economy innovations, targeting sectors like textiles, plastics, and agro-processing.

Project Coordinator Joseph Yeboah explained: “The Circular Economy Centre Project, a USD 5.3 million initiative funded by GAC and implemented by UNIDO, will bring job creation opportunities to the country’s youth and women.”

Ho Technical University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Benjamin Honyenugah, affirmed the university’s commitment to supporting the Centre, providing office space, laboratories, and workshops to facilitate the project.

“We are ready to make HTU a technology hub for waste management in Ghana and beyond,” he said.

Kathleen Fynn-Dapash, Director at the Canadian High Commission, praised the Centre’s role in reducing environmental pressure and combating climate change, noting it as “a shared responsibility for future generations.”

The Centre is part of a collaborative project involving Ho Technical University, Cape Coast University, and Kwame Nkrumah University of Health and Allied Sciences, with support from local leaders, including Togbega Abutia Kodzo Gidi of the Abutia Traditional Council, who pledged full backing from the Volta Regional House of Chiefs.