Hungarian companies design and build world-class wastewater treatment plants in Africa

Wastewater treatment plants designed and built in Hungary have been inaugurated in the towns of Takoradi and Tamale in Ghana, Azbej Tristan, Minister of State for the Hungarian Government and responsible for the implementation of the Hungary Helps Programme, told MTI on Wednesday by telephone.  

Wastewater treatment in Ghana's three largest rural cities to be solved

The state secretary said that the two sewage treatment plants were designed and implemented by the Hungarian Pureco-Unit Consortium in cooperation with its Ghanaian partners. Our newspaper has also reported on the activities of Pureco Kft. in Africa. when we presented in detail the special water storage tank also built in the Ghanaian city of Takoradi. The innovative storage tank was first used in Africa by Pureco: it was installed in the city of Takoradi, on the site of the wastewater treatment plant in question. The storage tank provides the significant amount of process water required to operate the wastewater treatment plant.

The Pureco-Unit Consortium has already constructed a wastewater treatment plant in the Kumasi municipality in Ghana, so together with the new plants, the treatment of all collected wastewater in Ghana's three largest rural towns will be completed. The three plants will treat the wastewater of nearly two million people and improve the drinking water quality of the entire region.   

Azbej Tristan added: in the past, wastewater was left untreated in these cities, contaminating drinking water, causing epidemics and major public health problems in the region.

Investments were made on a market basis

Tristan Azbej called the investment of approximately HUF 3.8 billion per plant the biggest success story of the Hungarian water industry in the African region.

The Pureco-Unit Consortium, which provided the technology, managed the design, technical preparation and construction, is establishing world-class Hungarian wastewater treatment technology in the region, he said.

The Minister of State stressed that the wastewater treatment plants were not part of an aid programme, but were built on a market basis, with the Hungarian Eximbank providing 10 million euros in loans per plant. At the same time, the "solidarity component of the investments is also significant", as they will alleviate the wastewater treatment challenges of millions of people and contribute to the drinking water supply of many more. In addition, the treatment plants also have a population-sustaining effect, as they are significant job-creating investments," he noted.

The Hungarian-Ghanaian Water Agreement has created the framework

The settlements are also the result of the Hungarian government's policy of opening up to the South, with the aim of increasing Hungary's diplomatic and foreign economic presence on the African continent. The diplomatic framework for the investments was created by the Hungarian-Ghanaian Water Agreement signed in 2019, the State Secretary added.   

Azbej Tristan said that Hungary is also contributing to the strengthening of Ghanaian communities through the Hungary Helps programme, especially supporting underdeveloped communities and those threatened by terrorist organisations spilling over from neighbouring Burkina Faso through education, development and other humanitarian projects.

In addition to promoting foreign economic relations, the Hungarian government also aims to enable the Ghanaian people to preserve the stability of the country and build a future in their homeland, rather than opting for migration to Europe, said Azbej Tristan.