The training aimed to boost the incomes of individuals involved in the plastic waste value chain and promote a green and circular economy.

It was organised in collaboration with several state institutions, including the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), and the Ghana Police Service.

The initiative was funded by the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) under its “Invest for Jobs Programme,” which seeks to create decent and sustainable employment opportunities for young people, including persons with disabilities.

A key objective of the training is to encourage participants to integrate plastic waste segregation into their daily activities.

Selected beneficiaries will also be linked to employment opportunities across public, private, and corporate institutions.

Madam Esther Dwamena, Managing Director of Witties Ghana Limited, noted that the initiative follows a successful pilot project in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area.

Based on the positive outcomes, the project is now being extended to Kumasi and other parts of the Ashanti Region.
She said in Greater Accra, 602 informal waste collectors, janitors, and tricycle operators were trained in professional practices, occupational safety, and entrepreneurship.

Additionally, over 3,400 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPEs) were distributed with a digital job-matching platform developed to connect trained individuals with job opportunities.

According to Madam Dwamena, the initiative had already led to 68 job placements, increased social security coverage through SSNIT registration, and enhanced access to insurance schemes.

“The results have been overwhelmingly positive,” she added, saying that this reaffirms the transformative power of targeted capacity-building interventions in improving livelihoods and sanitation service delivery.
She emphasised the importance of expanding the project to Kumasi, noting the city’s rapid urbanisation and growing waste management challenges.

“Kumasi is Ghana’s second-largest city and a strategic location for scaling up this initiative. The leadership demonstrated by the KMA in sanitation reform makes it an ideal partner,” she stated.

Madam Dwamena expressed gratitude to GIZ and all partner institutions for their continued support and collaboration.

Mr Richard Ofori Agyemang Boadi, Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, commended Witties Ghana for its role in addressing plastic waste—a major sanitation issue in the country.
He noted that within the plastic waste challenge there is significant potential for wealth creation and encouraged trainees to take full advantage of opportunities within the value chain.

Mr. Seth Atanga, Ashanti Regional Director of the Youth Employment Agency, also lauded the initiative, stating that it aligns perfectly with the YEA’s mission to promote job creation and pledged the agency’s full support for the successful implementation of the project.