The Gambia and Jospong Group have signed an MoU for a comprehensive waste management solution, aiming to address local challenges through African innovation. Minister Rohey John Manjang is committed to establishing a waste treatment plant within six months via a PPP. JGC’s Executive Chairman Joseph Siaw Agyepong highlighted the importance of strategic ideas over foreign aid, during a visit that reaffirms the historical relations between Ghana and The Gambia.
The Gambia has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Jospong Group of Companies (JGC) to implement a comprehensive waste management solution tailored to African needs. This collaboration was established during a signing ceremony on March 3, 2025, led by Rohey John Manjang, The Gambia’s Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, alongside Joseph Siaw Agyepong, Executive Chairman of JGC.
During the ceremony, Minister Manjang emphasized the necessity for African nations to devise local solutions to pressing issues. She expressed her commitment to constructing a waste treatment plant in The Gambia within six months through a Public Private Partnership (PPP). She remarked, “For Africa to go forward with our limited resources, we need to be innovative in making sure that we fix our problems.”
The agreement follows a five-day tour conducted by a Gambian delegation, including government ministers and members of Parliament, who examined JGC’s waste management facilities in Ghana. Manjang highlighted the importance of engaging the private sector to achieve these goals, stating, “Governments cannot do things alone and must bring the private sector on board.”
Furthermore, she described the MoU as a promising starting point for comprehensive waste management in The Gambia. She noted the innovative solutions available in Africa and asserted, “It is doable, it is workable, it is achievable.”
Joseph Siaw Agyepong spoke of the significance of strategic planning in Africa’s development, stressing the need for ideas rather than reliance on financial aid. He stated, “When ideas marry strategy, the product is money.” He also called for a collective commitment among Africans to drive progress, citing the success of Ghana’s waste management sector as a model.
In conjunction with the MoU signing, the Gambian delegation, led by Manjang, met with Ghana’s Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, advocating for protection of Ghanaian investors in The Gambia. Muhammed underscored the historical ties between Ghana and The Gambia, noting that investments will flourish when investors feel secure.
He encouraged Jospong Group to remain a responsible corporate presence in The Gambia, asserting, “You must ensure that your operations promote Ghana and protect the safety of Ghanaians in Gambia.” Manjang reiterated the shared environmental challenges faced by both countries and the necessity for environmentally friendly waste management practices.
The Gambian delegation also toured several Jospong Group facilities, aiming to gain insights into effective waste management strategies and explore collaborative efforts moving forward within the region.
In summary, The Gambia’s collaboration with the Jospong Group of Companies marks a significant step towards addressing waste management challenges in Africa through local solutions. The commitment to implementing environmentally friendly practices and engaging with the private sector underscores the potential for progress in managing waste effectively. The shared historical ties and cooperative spirit between Ghana and The Gambia further enhance the prospects for successful implementation of these initiatives.
Original Source: 3news.com
