A symbolic cross made from recycled waste in Agbogbloshie has returned to Ghana ahead of a public procession, after being blessed by Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican.
The piece, created by scrap dealer and artisan Iddrisu Salifu—a Muslim based in Agbogbloshie—is set to take centre stage during a procession scheduled for March 28, 2026, in Accra. The event is expected to highlight themes of faith, transformation, and environmental consciousness.
Constructed from discarded electronic waste, particularly mobile phones, the cross combines materials salvaged from one of the country’s most well-known scrap hubs. Its brass component was entirely produced by Salifu using recycled materials sourced locally.
That element was later sent to Missio Aachen in Germany, where it formed part of a broader artistic collaboration.
A German artist, Barbara Vosso, subsequently added new elements, completing the structure with glass that encases fragments of mobile phones, including chips from which metals such as brass and traces of gold are extracted.
The finished artwork was presented in Rome through a delegation led by Missio Aachen, including its Vice President, George Novak.
During the presentation, Pope Leo XIV touched and blessed the cross after hearing the story behind its creation—described as a transformation of “something precious coming from nothingness.”
Now back in Ghana, the cross will be featured in a procession through Agbogbloshie on March 28, drawing attention not only to its religious symbolism but also to the message of sustainability and the creative potential within communities often linked to waste and hardship.
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