JochenMoninger, Country Director Welthungerhilfe explaining some concepts to Bo city council members
By Sarah Bomkapre Kamara
Sharing ideas and learning best practices are fundamentals to building strong development cooperation between countries. Getting an overview of how waste is managed in Germany was the main aim of the visit of the - six - man delegation from Bo City Council and the International Organisation - Welthungerhilfe. Their working visit to Bavaria, Germany took place on the 21st & 22nd July, 2014 and was facilitated by the DFID supported "Effective Solid Waste Management for Bo City" project implemented by Welthungerhilfe in partnership with the Bo City Council. The Consulate of Sierra Leone in Munich served as host to the visitors.
Welcoming his guests, H. E. DrDietmarScheiter, Honorary Consul of Sierra Leone in Bavaria expressed his joy to have the delegation visit the City of Munich and the Bavarian region. He also encouraged the delegation to take back the best practices they learn to help move Sierra Leone forward. During the visit, the team experienced first-hand waste collection, waste management and recycling processes in Germany, whilst acquiring technical knowledge from experts on how to enhance their waste management efforts in Bo city.
Making a presentation on behalf of the team, His Worship Harold Tucker, Mayor of Bo city said he is working sturdily with his team at the Bo City Council to ensure an improved lifestyle for the people of Bo. Achieving sustainable and improved environmental sanitation and providing energy for resident of Bo city, are some of his main goals.
"We have learned that waste is not useless, but one of the most energy producing resources," he said adding that the growth of a country can only be achieved when all resources are utilized properly.
JochenMoninger, Country Director of Welthungerhilfe said waste management is an important environmental issue and believes their visit to Germany was a successful learning process.
His organisation, Welthungerhilfe, has been implementing the "Effective Solid Waste Management Project for Bo City", together with the Bo City Council since 2013. The pilot stage of the project was completed early 2014, with many successes, which encouraged them to continue. "We can now take decisions on how to structure our collection and disposal services in Bo," MrMoningersaid.
In a meeting with waste management expert and consultant, Christian Mühl in Munich, the delegation shared the challenges they face in Sierra Leone and received recommendations on models they can use for successfully transforming waste products to energy production resources in Bo city.
As part of the visit schedule, the team paid a courtesy call at the Bavarian Ministry of the Environment and Consumer Protection where they were received by the head of the Climate Protection Department, Dr. Monika Kratzer and senior members of staff. Making her presentation to the delegation, Dr. Kratzer said waste is an economic commodity and their ministry treats it as such.
"Waste has a very necessary possibility to become a second raw material market," she said, and "metals, glasses, papers are better if recycled than burned."
"We want to bring the process forward from waste management to resource management" DrKratzer explained. She believes not only Sierra Leone but also other countries should adopt recycling waste as a way of life which will transmit into a clean and healthy living for people worldwide.
Other highlights of the visit included a guided tour of the Wurzer company, a waste sorting plant at the Munich Airport; a visit to the company Biogas Hochreiter whose biogas plant is mainly driven by waste products; and a presentation and guided tour of ZAS, the Waste Fuelled Thermal Power Plant of the Administration Union Waste Recycling Southeast Bavaria led by Dr. Irene Lindner, Technical Manager.
"I believe this is the start of a bi-lateral relationship between the city of Bo and Germany," Mayor Tucker said at the end of the visit. He also promised to share the knowledge acquired during their visit to members of his council, the people of Bo and Sierra Leone on their return.
Members of the delegation with Mayor Harold Tucker and JochenMoninger Country Director Welthungerhilfe Sierra Leone included, William Alpha, Chief Administrator, Bo City Council, Samuel Navo, Environment Officer of the city of Bo, Raphael Thurn-Valsassina, Project Advisor Welthungerhilfe, AfredMaadaFobay Waste TechnicianWelthungerhilfe.Prior to this visit, a team of senior officers from Bo City Council and Welthungerhilfe also visited Ghana in June, 2014 on the same mission - learning best practices.
(C) Politico 01/08/14
