A four-day capacity-building workshop on circular economy principles commenced today in Accra, bringing together key stakeholders from government, industry, and development partners.
The initiative aims to strengthen Ghana’s transition toward sustainable production systems and resilient industrial growth.
The Training of Trainers (ToT) program is organized under the Ghana Circular Economy Centre (GCEC) Project, with strategic support from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Global Affairs Canada.
The program is designed to equip participants with the essential tools to champion circular practices across Ghana’s diverse economic sectors.
Delivering the opening remarks, Madam Cynthia Djokoto, Director of SME Development at the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, described the training as a critical milestone in Ghana’s industrial agenda.
She emphasized that the initiative reflects the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
Madam Djokoto commended UNIDO for its continued partnership, noting that such collaborations act as a catalyst for shifting Ghana away from the traditional “take–make–dispose” linear model.
She highlighted that this workshop is the culmination of a strategic roadmap, following consultative meetings held in October 2025 and high-level stakeholder sessions in February 2026.
Dr. Halid Abu-Bakar, a UNIDO Circular Economy Expert, led the technical sessions, guiding participants through a structured curriculum designed to bridge the gap between conceptual understanding and real-world application.
Using interactive tools such as Mentimeter and pre-training surveys, Dr. Abu-Bakar introduced participants to global sustainability challenges including planetary overshoot while drawing direct connections to Ghana’s current consumption patterns and environmental pressures.
Key focus areas of the technical sessions included analyzing the social, environmental, and economic externalities of current production systems, such as ecosystem degradation and financial loss.
Tasking participants with identifying specific impacts of linear production within the Ghanaian landscape.
Training participants to narrate circular economy benefits without relying on technical jargon to better reach policymakers and local MSMEs.
A major component of the program focused on narrative-building.
Dr. Abu-Bakar stressed the importance of framing the urgency of the circular transition and using localized examples to make the concept resonate with businesses and communities alike.
As part of the practical exercises, participants developed and refined “Why Circular Economy?” presentations, receiving peer feedback to ensure their materials are teaching-ready.
The program is expected to create a powerful multiplier effect, as these newly minted trainers return to their respective institutions and the MSME ecosystem to advocate for and implement sustainable, circular industrial practices across the nation.
By 1960news.com
