The Executive Chairman of Jospong Group of Companies, Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong, has led a 12-man delegation to participate in the 2019 Budapest Water Summit organised by the Hungarian government.
World leaders, politicians, bankers, businessmen, inventors and scientists met at the summit to discuss challenges of emerging water crises and their social, economic, environmental and political consequences.
The event was themed “Preventing Water Crises”.
Dr Siaw Agyepong was part of a high-level panel that discussed the theme for the event.
He joined panellists from European Investment Bank, Middle East Desalination Research Centre, Global Water Partnership World Bank Group and the Ministry for Environment and Spatial Planning in Slovenia, to discuss global water crisis and what the economically rational behaviours are.
Dr Siaw Agyepong observed financing wastewater is considered risky because it requires long-term commitments, and called for innovation and integrated approaches.
“The water crisis facing most countries in our part of the world needs urgent attention from governments and individuals. We will continue to do our best to improve water and waste management but a holistic approach is required to achieve #SDG6” he stated.
The business man outlined some of the interventions by Ghana government in the water sector while highlighted the interventions of the Jospong Group in the wastewater sector in the country.
He indicated that the setting up of Sewerage Systems Ghana Limited (SSGL) has expanded the utilisation of treated wastewater and its use in restricted agriculture and industry.
SSGL, he noted, has also prevented the pollution of the sea which was being used as the receptor of liquid waste.
Dr. Siaw Agyepong said the Jospong Group plans to set up the Kumasi Waste Water Treatment Plant with similar ones in Takoradi and Tamale 2020.
“These three plants are being constructed simultaneously” he said.
He expressed gratitude to the organizers of the summit for the invitation, stating “there are several lessons, experiences and solutions to take away. Although the conference has come to an end, the work is to be continued in every corner of the world”.
The Jospong Group, he said, will not relent in its efforts at bringing long lasting solutions to the people of Ghana in the area of water and sanitation and will continue to contribute to attaining the SDG6.
Ghana’s Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, who also addressed the summit, observed water crisis was real, and underscored the need for fundamental action with local solutions to “fix the basics.”
By 3news.com|Ghana