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WIN trains 15 youth to turn Coconut waste into Charcoal briquettes
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The World Inspiring Network (WIN) has organised a two-day training workshop for 15 young people in the Greater Accra Region to equip them with skills in converting coconut waste into charcoal briquettes.
This initiative, dubbed EcoFlames, aims to promote clean energy, reduce waste, and create green jobs by addressing three key challenges facing the city: mounting coconut waste, youth unemployment, and the reliance on harmful cooking fuels.
The workshop was a collaborative effort with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Bloomberg Philanthropies, the International Trade Centre’s Ye! Community, and EBApreneur Solutions Limited.
Participants at the workshop were taken through waste collection, segregation, carbonisation, manual and mechanised briquette production, and the environmental and health benefits of clean energy.
They also engaged in hands-on sessions to prepare them for both small-scale and large-scale production.
Speaking on the sidelines , the Executive Director of World Inspiring Network, Maxwell Odonkor, said the EcoFlames Initiative was designed to empower young people to turn coconut husks and shells into clean-burning briquettes while starting sustainable businesses.
He explained that over 80 percent of households in Accra depended on firewood and traditional charcoal for cooking, which continued to damage the environment and expose users to health risks such as cardiovascular diseases.
Mr Odonkor added that Accra alone generated an estimated 151 tonnes of coconut waste daily, much of which ended up in open drains or landfill sites.
He said converting this waste into briquettes would not only improve sanitation but also provide affordable alternatives to traditional fuels.
He noted that the next phase of the project would involve campaigns in markets and schools to educate women, students and food vendors on the benefits of switching to clean energy.
According to him, plans are also underway to host the Green Action Summit, which is expected to bring together over 200 young people to explore innovative climate solutions.
The Project Lead for EcoFlames and Executive Secretary of WIN, Thelma Naroog Bamanteeh, said the training was intentionally designed to be practical so that participants could immediately apply the knowledge and skills acquired.
She explained that the initiative was addressing two problems at once: reducing deforestation caused by cutting trees for charcoal and tackling improper disposal of coconut waste in the city.
According to her, the NGO had plans to set up a demonstration site but the high cost of equipment remained a challenge.
She therefore appealed to the government to partner with suppliers to reduce the cost of production machines so that more young people and organisations could venture into the sector.
Ms. Bamanteeh maintained that in the long run, the project would not only create green jobs but also improve public health, protect the environment and help Ghana meet its climate action goals.
Background:
Under Phase Two in Accra, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly selected 20 youth-led projects from 59 applications.
The chosen teams received microgrants from a total budget of $100,000 to implement their projects over a six-month period.
Most of the groups have already received their funding and started work on initiatives in waste management, clean energy, urban greening and public education, with WIN’s EcoFlames Initiative among them.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Minister for Education Haruna Iddrisu has questioned why Ghana continues to import toothpicks despite having the resources to produce them locally.
Speaking in Parliament, Mr. Iddrisu, who previously served as Minister for Trade and Industry, said he feels ashamed that the country still depends on imports for such a basic product.
“I have been Minister for Trade and Industry before and I carry the shame. How come that in Ghana we cannot produce toothpicks and we have to import them?” he asked.
According to him, Ghana has enough resources to support local businesses to manufacture products such as toothpicks instead of relying on imports. He said the country should encourage private sector investment in manufacturing to create jobs and reduce dependence on foreign goods.
Mr. Iddrisu alleged that some people who received government support under private sector initiatives failed to use the funds for their intended purpose.
“If you want, Honorable Kojo, because you… I can’t go there. There are people who took money in the name of the private sector and said they were going to farm. That money never went to their farms. You know that,” he told Parliament.
On job creation, the Education Minister said he agreed with the views expressed by a colleague on the need to create more employment opportunities. However, he argued that the One District, One Factory (1D1F) programme did not provide the solution to Ghana’s employment challenges.
Mr. Iddrisu made the remarks during parliamentary proceedings while contributing to discussions on job creation and the country’s industrial development.
By: Jacob Aggrey
New Patriotic Party (NPP) communications officer, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has dismissed reports linking him to an alleged GH¢55 million case, insisting that no such issue was raised during his detention by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
In a Facebook post after his release from EOCO custody, Mr Aboagye stated that at no point during his detention was he questioned about any GH¢55 million.
“For the records: There was no discussion of any GH¢55 million with me by EOCO. None,” he wrote.
According to him, he was detained for four days, a day after announcing his intention to contest for the position of National Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party.
Mr Aboagye alleged that false narratives were circulated about his arrest but expressed confidence that the truth would eventually prevail.
He thanked NPP supporters who demonstrated and called for his release, saying news of the protests reached him while he was in detention and encouraged him.
Mr Aboagye indicated that the support shown by party faithful strengthened his resolve and reaffirmed his commitment to serve the NPP.
He maintained that his detention had not discouraged him from pursuing his political ambition.
“If the intention was to break me, it has failed. If the intention was to scare me, it has failed spectacularly,” he stated.
Mr Aboagye expressed appreciation to his legal team, the leadership of the NPP and all supporters who stood by him throughout his detention.
He reiterated his determination to lead the party’s Communications Directorate, declaring that he remained “ready to win” and committed to what he described as the party’s mission to “command the narrative.”
By: Jacob Aggrey
