With a paradigm shift, to the circular economy, the filth engulfing the country particularly Accra, would be put to productive use, while floodwater could be trapped for agricultural purposes to ensure sustainable development.

Mrs Acconcia, the Ambassador and Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Ghana, speaking at a two-day workshop in Accra explained that the circular economy practices, when integrated into development plans, would reduce the impact of climate change and its adaptation.

The event, organised by European Union Delegation (EU) to Ghana brought together, policymakers, researchers, development partners, and other stakeholders in the environment, technology and innovation to identify creative and innovative ideas and opportunities to foster the development of the circular economy.

Themed: "Circular Business Opportunities in Ghana", the event formed part of the celebration of the EU week.

Mrs Acconcia said: "With circular economy, approach resources are kept in use for as long as possible, maximum values are extracted from them whilst in use and then the products and materials are recovered and regenerated at the end of each service life."

The traditional linear economy, a system that focus on harvest, make, use and dispose is declining nature at rates unprecedented in human history, hence, the need to adopt circular economy, which adopts recycle, repair and reuse.

Mrs Acconcia noted that the EU would continue to mainstream climate change in its cooperation, partnerships and political engagement by ensuring that at last 25 per cent of development assistance had climate component.

Madam Patricia Appiagyei, Deputy Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation said Ghana's transition to a green economy and the attainment of the sustainable development goals could not be achieved without a circular economy.

The country, she said aspired to become a country beyond Aid in the near foreseeable future and to realize the potential of meeting this agenda, there was the need for an integrated system to help transition to a circular economy by creating innovative ways of doing business.

Madam Appiagyei stated that in line with that, the government and non-governmental organization were pursuing various initiatives including the industralisation, one-district-one-dam that had circular economy imbedded.

Other projects were the Ghana Innovation Research Centre, electronic waste project, Industrial Symbiosis and Environmental Management Systems, bio-gas at second cycle schools, plastic waste initiative where plastics were being used to build pavement.