The government is finalising processes to start implementing an incentive-based payment system to encourage the return of electronic waste (e-waste) to designated collection centres.
When operational, the programme will be part of a broader effort to manage e-waste effectively and promote a circular economy for electronic and electrical equipment.
This initiative aims to significantly reduce the environmental and health risks associated with improper e-waste disposal, such as pollution and contamination, and to promote sustainable waste management practices that prioritise human health and environmental protection.
It will be implemented by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with the Electrical and Electronic Waste Management Fund (E-Waste Fund), as a funding agency.
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the E-Waste Fund, Amos Blessing Amorse, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic during an engagement with operators in the e-waste value chain in Accra last Thursday, stated that the programme, when fully operational, would help reduce environmental and health risks associated with improper e-waste disposal.
“These are ways of disposing of e-waste. In fact, in the coming days, what we want to do is that we will be collaborating with the EPA, where we will have bins for the collection of some of these fractions.
“A lot of people do not even know that when you have e-waste products in your house and you take them to certain designated centres, you are entitled to incentives.
This is something that is not known, and so, we want to introduce it to encourage people to return their e-waste,” he said.
The workshop
The workshop brought together actors across the electronic waste value chain, including representatives from academia, development partners, industry associations, recyclers and scrap dealers to validate a new guideline on engagement with stakeholders.
The engagement marks a major step in ensuring transparency, collaboration and clarity in how the fund interacts with its diverse partners and how those stakeholders, in turn, engage the fund.
The workshop created an opportunity for participants to review and provide feedback on the draft guidelines, which outline the channels, modalities and procedures for engagement between the fund and various stakeholder groups.
These include protocols for public consultation, information sharing, feedback mechanisms, and roles during project implementation.
Accountability
Mr Amorse stated that the validation of the guidelines was expected to pave the way for a more inclusive and accountable management system for the fund, especially as it scales up operations in line with Ghana’s environmental and development goals.
He said the fund was established under the Environmental Protection Act, 2025 (Act 1124) with a mandate to mobilise and disburse financial resources to support the sound management of electrical and electronic waste across Ghana.
Significant strides
The Head of Operations at the E-Waste Fund, Obed Boah, stated that the fund over the past year had made significant strides in implementing pilot projects, awareness campaigns and financing mechanisms aimed at reducing the harmful environmental and public health impacts of e-waste.
He said as part of its institutional strengthening, the fund has developed a set of engagement guidelines to streamline communication, roles and expectations with its stakeholders.
He added that the E-Waste Fund remained committed to working hand in hand with both formal and informal sector actors to ensure that the country’s growing electronic waste challenge was tackled sustainably and equitably.
