Stakeholders in Ghana’s sanitation sector have called for an urgent transition from landfill-dependent waste disposal systems to sustainable, engineered waste treatment infrastructure.
They warned that persistent funding gaps could derail efforts to maintain cleanliness and environmental safety within the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA).
The call was made at a high-level stakeholder dialogue on landfill and waste management held in Accra on Monday, on the theme: ‘Alleviating Waste Disposal Crisis in Greater Accra.’
The meeting brought together government officials, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), sanitation experts and private sector operators.
Delivering the keynote address, the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, noted that rapid urbanisation and population growth continued to exert immense pressure on existing waste management infrastructure.
He revealed that Ghana currently generated about 4,400 tonnes of solid waste daily, amounting to roughly 1.6 million tonnes annually, with an average collection rate of 80 per cent.
The minister cautioned that waste generation was expected to increase significantly over the next decade, making investment in modern treatment facilities an urgent national priority.
He identified sustainable financing as the biggest challenge confronting the sector, explaining that waste management could not be left entirely to market forces, citing examples from countries such as South Korea.
Mr Ibrahim disclosed that discussions were ongoing with the Ministry of Finance to secure dedicated funding to settle outstanding debts owed to private waste management companies.
He also challenged MMDCEs to take greater responsibility for sanitation outcomes, stressing that even the most advanced facilities would struggle to operate effectively without adequate and timely funding.
He warned that delays in payments could trigger serious environmental and public health risks.
The President of the Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA) and Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies, Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong, described reliance on landfills as outdated and ineffective.
He explained that all 17 landfills constructed across the country with support from international partners had reached capacity within a decade.
Dr Agyepong stressed that modern waste management systems should prioritise collection, transfer stations, recycling and composting, with landfills used only as a last resort.
Stakeholders also raised concerns about weak revenue mobilisation and inefficient tariff structures.
Dr Agyepong noted that although international benchmarks recommended household waste collection fees of between $15 and $20 in lower-middle-income countries, operators in Ghana continued to grapple with low cost recovery.
Despite the challenges, participants highlighted Ghana’s growing reputation as a leader in environmental sanitation technology in Africa.
The country now has more than 50 waste treatment and composting facilities, while Ghanaian firms are providing expertise in countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia.
Moreover, Dr Agyepong attributed this progress to sustained investment in local capacity, citing that sanitation service providers had supported the training of hundreds of skilled professionals.
The Vice-Dean of MMDCEs, Dr Michael Mensah, assured stakeholders of the commitment of local authorities to improving sanitation standards.
BY TIMES REPORTER
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