Representatives of Zoomlion at the World Urban Forum
Participants at the United Nations (UN) Habitat 7th World Urban Forum (WUF7) in Medellin, Columbia has commended Zoomlion Ghana, the leading waste and sanitation Management Company in Ghana for its work.
Mr. Matin Barugahare, Chief Evaluation Officer of UN-Habitat was particularly pleased about Zoomlions innovative initiative in waste and sanitation management in Ghana and other African countries.
Zoomlion products and services captured in brochures, banners, and other souvenirs which were displayed at Ghana’s Platform a side event; became the main attraction at WUF7 as country representatives, individuals, companies and non-governmental organisations troop to the stand.
The Zoomlion stand also become news attraction join for both Colombian and other international journalists covering the WUF7 as they constantly trooped to the Ghana booth to interact with the company representatives.
The company with over five years’ experience in waste management in Ghana and scores of African countries has won several international awards for its dedication to waste and sanitation management.
Zoomlion’s presence in the Ghana booth at the exhibition center offered a great opportunity to showcase its works, achievements and contributions to Ghanas urban development processes.
Interview with Ghana News Agency, at Colombia, Dr. Offei Bob Manteaw, Director of Research, Innovation and Development said Zoomlion has shared its innovative programmes such as Afforestation, Street Cleaning, Ecobrigade, Zoil and the provision of free waste bins to communities and households with other participants.
Dr. Manteaw noted that Zoomlions most significant contribution at this years forum was its boldness in drawing the attention of the organisers of the event to the fact that sanitation and waste management was left out in the broader discussions of urbanisation and urban development.
He said the missing gap in the WUF7 programme which mainly focused entirely on urban development from a housing equity perspective and that such premise, was wrong as it failed to take into account the consequences of urban development.
According to Dr. Manteaw, Zoomlion and the Africa Institute of Sanitation and Waste Management (AISWAM), reminded the world that urban development policies should begin with thoughts about how to deal with urban waste and sanitation.
Dr. Manteaw said the company has been classified as a contemporary international organisation with foresight and vision and with the capability to influence up-to-date thinking and practice in waste and sanitation management in all sectors.
Mr. Robert Tetteh Colemen, Communication Manager of Zoomlion told the GNA that as an indigenous Ghanaian company, Zoomlion is committed to becoming the champion of a cleaner, greener and healthy environment all across Africa.
He expressed Zoomlions appreciation of the commendations and recognitions received on such a global stage, adding that, the organisation is humbled by international applauses.
Mr. Coleman said waste and sanitation management, expounded on the works of Zoomlion as more of a social investment that puts public health, social welfare and the efficient management of the natural environment before profits.
Mr. Coleman noted that the newly created AISWAM, with state-of-the-art facilities was launched to address issues of skill development and gaps in waste and sanitation management in Ghana.
He said the institute is a non-profit establishment and a social investment that will serve the Interest of Africa in many meaningful ways and also served as Zoomlion’s legacy to Ghana and Africa.
Mr. Coleman said the AISWAM programme attracted a great deal of interest at the WUF7 as many individuals and organizations wanted to know more about existing opportunities and future possibilities for collaboration.
He said Zoomlion has made Ghana and Ghanaians proud at the WUF7; the achievements of a home-grown organization have gained such credibility on the international stage.
Zoomlion is not just a private company it is a peoples company, a social investment and an indigenous African company with its roots in Ghana, he added.
The Ghana Side Event was under the theme: Ghana Rising: leveraging, Urbanisation, Inclusive and Equitable Development.
The WUF7 was under the theme Urban Equity in Development Cities for Life, focused on seeking ways to strengthen and develop institutional framework for sustainable urban development and housing.
It will also look at progress in understanding the role of local governments in drafting proposals and policies for urban development.
WUF7 serves as a platform to determine the guidelines for Habitat III, the Third United Nations Conference on Housing, and Sustainable Urban Development, schedule for 2016 which will focus on Climate Change, Protection and Public Safety.
Source: GNA
