The Vice Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson has revealed plans for a collaboration between KNUST and Kumasi Compost and Recycling Plant (Kcarp) Limited, a subsidiary of the Jospong Group of Companies, to solve sanitation and environmental problems in Ghana. This was made known when the Management of the University paid an industrial visit to Kcarp on 6th April, 2021.  

According to the General Manager of Kcarp, Mr. Samuel Ntumy, the company will not be successful in solving the sanitation problems in Ghana without relevant research, thus, the decision to partner KNUST. He added that a collaboration with KNUST would offer technical expertise, design of infrastructure and training of Kcarp staff across the 16 regions in Ghana.

Speaking about KNUST, Professor (Mrs.) Dickson said the University thrives on quality teaching and learning, impactful research, entrepreneurship training and community engagement by way of contributing its quota to the development of the African continent. 

She mentioned that Jospong Group of Companies is one of the major partners of KNUST in ensuring research utilisation, therefore, KNUST is very pleased to partner Kcarp in getting solutions to the country’s sanitation problem.

Kcarp is a mega-scale municipal solid waste treatment plant, set up to receive and treat municipal solid waste from the Kumasi Metropolis and adjoining district assemblies. The project, which started in 2013 on a 1500-acre piece of land at Essereso-Adagya in the Bosomtwe District of the Ashanti region, has an installed capacity to process about 1,200 tonnes of waste a day and it is estimated to create 800 direct and 1500 indirect jobs.

The University Management led by staff of Kcarp toured the mega-scale municipal solid waste treatment facility. The Kcarp is made up of waste sorting and segregation plants, compost tunnels, the solid, plastic and liquid recycling centers, engineered residual landfill, product development laboratory. The Main Administration block houses six (6) lecture halls, two (2) syndicate rooms, two (2) executive lecture halls, kitchen, executive offices, electrical room, research room, quality & Safety Laboratory and a server room. 

Commenting on the tour, the Vice-Chancellor commended the Jospong Group of Companies for investing in the sanitation of the country. She assured that KNUST will provide the needed research base that will work and profess solutions to sanitation challenges.