The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Ghana has urged government to invest in new technologies which exploit low-carbon to ensure a fast-tracked transition as the country commits to global climate change compacts.
According to CLIT, these investments must however go hand-in-hand with training and capacity building of the workforce to ensure people are able to adapt and keep up with new ways of working.
Furthermore, the professionals believe that as a means of motivating the private sector to also transition to using low-carbon machinery, government must grant tax-breaks for businesses using green technologies as incentives.
The president of CILT Ghana, Mark Amoamah – on the occasion of the institute’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2022, stated that green supply chain management is a long-term shift Ghana needs to embrace for sustainability.
Green supply chain practices, such as actively working on switching to biofuels; incorporating recycled materials into the manufacturing process; and reducing energy use are also sustainable means of increasing global attention on the carbon footprint of economic activities and the choice of products used, he added.
“Green supply chain management (GSCM) involves sustainable environmental processes built into conventional supply chains – from manufacturing to operations to end-of-life management – incorporating the principle of 4R1D (reduce, reuse, recycle, reclaim and degradable),” he said.
The CILT also urged member-businesses to develop corporate strategies to see a gradual shift into green operations that enhance their performance in terms of less waste manufacturing, reuse and recycling of products, reduction in manufacturing costs, greater efficiency of assets, positive image-building, and greater customer satisfaction.
“Logistics and transport companies that are able to incorporate sustainability into their long-term strategies will be able to seize growth opportunities and fortify business resilience. Green solutions can be integrated into different segments of the logistics value chain – from storage to transportation, to improve productivity and minimise our carbon footprint,” Mr. Amoamah said.
Minister of Transport Kweku Ofori Asiamah, in a speech read on his behalf, indicated government recognises that the energy and transportation sectors are key areas in reducing emissions. Strategies are therefore being deployed to transition these sectors into a net-zero emissions future.
“When transportation systems are efficient, they create opportunities and benefits for the economy. It is perhaps one of the most important sectors that cannot be neglected when it comes to its social and environmental impact.
“The global shift toward a greener economy continues to be of utmost importance to mitigate the risk of climate change and other environment-threatening conditions. However, developing countries remain challenged by lack of green transportation infrastructure that would ensure a sustainable future for all,” he said.
He added that the role of transport in stimulating economic growth, industrial transformation and development cannot be over-emphasised.
This year’s AGM was held on the theme ‘Green Transport and Supply Chains: Key to Sustain the future of Industry and the Environment’.
