Climate Change Advisors Ghana Partners with UCC, CCTU in "Zero Plastic Waste" Campaign

Presentation of plastic waste bins to UCC 

As part of efforts to promote environmental sustainability and reduce plastic pollution in Ghana, Climate Change Advisors Ghana (CCAG) has donated plastic waste bins to the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and the Cape Coast Technical University (CCTU).

The donation forms part of CCAG's "Zero Plastic Waste" campaign, a nationwide initiative aimed at encouraging responsible waste disposal and promoting a recycling culture within educational institutions and local communities. 

Speaking at a brief presentation ceremony,  Dr. Samuel Ayeh Ofori,  Director of Research and Programmes at CCAG and Senior Lecturer at UCC, highlighted the vision of the initiative.  He explained that one of the adaptation strategies to enhance institutional and coastal resilience is the provision of plastic waste collection bins to support waste management systems.

The Executive Director and Co-founder of CCAG,  Mr. Peter Doh, elaborated on the organisation's operations and its goal to recycle plastic waste. He noted that transforming plastic waste into useful products such as pavement blocks through shredding and repurposing contributes to the circular economy. 

Professor Denis W. Aheto,  Pro Vice-Chancellor of UCC, thanked CCAG for the timely donation and suggested exploring other avenues for value addition. He encouraged the organisation to sustain the initiative by also considering the business potential as a means of generating resources for long-term impact. 

Mr. Salisu,  a lecturer at UCC, noted that the donation was timely, especially as the university prepares to introduce source segregation on campus. 

Presentation of plastic waste bins at CCTU 

At Cape Coast Technical University (CCTU), Dr. Stephen Agyefi-Mensah,  Acting Director of Works and Physical Development,  received the donation on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor and Management. He commended CCAG for the gesture and shared that the university has introduced a "Works Volunteer Service" programme,  which encourages students to support climate action efforts.  The programme includes a "Green and Clean CCTU" module focused on sustainable practices. 

Dr. Nana Esi Baduwa Taylor,  Patron of the Green Club at CCTU,  expressed appreciation for CCAG's support. She highlighted the alignment between the university's "Love Project" and CCAG's "Zero Plastic Waste" initiative, noting the positive impact of such collaborations on student engagement in environmental issues. She also suggested awarding certificates for voluntary service to enhance students' CVs and encourage participation. 

Dr. Baduwa Taylor appealed to Climate Change Advisors Ghana for additional bins and opportunities for further collaboration to help sustain efforts to combat plastic waste on campus. 

As part of their broader plans, CCAG is working closely with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and other stakeholder groups to ensure the smooth collection, transport, and treatment of plastic waste in line with national environmental standards. 

By: Yusuf Ibrahim Dadzie 

Ekumfi Teachers Call for Improved Conditions of Service

Teachers within the Ekumfi District have urged their newly appointed director to advocate for improved conditions of service for members.

The appeal was made during a familiarisation visit by the director on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at Ekumfi Essarkyir, where she shared her vision and encouraged professionalism among teachers, as well as the promotion of a healthy working environment.

George Eshun

Speaking on behalf of the teachers, Mr. George Eshun highlighted the critical issue of teachers’ conditions of service. He called on Ms. Kafui Mary Ahlijah, the new Director of Education, to prioritise and champion efforts towards enhancing these conditions.

According to Mr. Eshun, teachers would be able to perform their duties with greater diligence and effectiveness if their conditions of service, particularly remuneration, were improved.

Director Kafui Mary Ahlijah

Ms. Kafui Mary Ahlijah becomes the eighth Director of Education for the Ekumfi Education Directorate since its creation in 2013, following the retirement of Mr. Isaac Oscar Odoom in December, 2024.

Bringing a vast of experience to her new role, Director Kafui aims to enhance the sustainability of schools through effective leardership.

Addressing the teachers, Director Ahlijah stressed the importance of punctuality and regular attendance at work, encouraging teachers and pupils to exhibit this behaviour. She assured them that she would actively monitor these aspects.

She further urged headteachers to adopt a proactive and positive approach to school administration, while also encouraging teachers to conduct lessons effectively and organize regular Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) within schools.

Director Kafui concluded by emphasizing the significance of team work, encouraging teachers to connect with their headteachers to foster a conducive school environment.

Teachers expressed their appreciation for her visit and are optimistic about working together to achieve a shared vision.

By: Yusuf Ibrahim Dadzie

Hon. Ekow Kwainoe, MP, Visits Ekumfi Fruits and Juices Company Limited

MP for Ekumfi visits Ekumfi Fruits & Juices Co. Ltd. 

As part of his commitment to fostering development and ensuring accountability, the Member of Parliament for Ekumfi Constituency, Hon. Dr. Othniel Ekow Kwainoe, has paid a working visit to Ekumfi Fruits and Juices Company Limited. The visit on Monday, February 17, 2025 aimed to gain firsthand insights into the company’s operations, challenges, achievements and prospects for growth.

During the visit, Mr. Fred, a representative of the company, briefed the MP on their success including, exporting their products the U.S. through Walmart Online, being one of the producers of 100% organic fruit juices in Ghana, offering five distinct flavours; Pineapple Only, Pine-Tropic, Pine-Ginja, Tropic-Ginja, and Pine-Melon-Ginja and above all, cultivating their own fruits to sustain production.

Despite these achievement, several operational challenges hindering their full potential were highlighted. He stressed the urgent need for, large-scale farms to ensure year-round fruit production to meet demand, stable electricity supply as the machines require up to 90 minutes to warm up before running since frequent power outages disrupt operations, reliable water supply since the factory currently depends on private water suppliers, increasing production costs.

He explained that, these challenges limit their production capacity to 2,800 cartons per day on a single shift, whereas a double shift could yield up to 5,000 cartons. To bridge this gap, he called for capital investment and strategic support to expand operations.

Hon. Dr. Kwainoe reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the factory in overcoming these obstacles. He emphasised that fully operationalizing the facility would create more job opportunities for locals and significantly boost the district’s economy.

“This factory has the potential to transform the local economy and create sustainable jobs. I will do everything within my capacity to address these challenges to ensure its full opreationalisation,”  he assured. 

By: Yusuf Ibrahim Dadzie