The Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, has given Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) 30 days to identify one-acre parcels of land for the construction of waste transfer stations across the country.
Mr Ayariga issued the directive as part of government’s renewed efforts to tackle Ghana’s persistent waste management challenges and improve the systems for collecting, transferring and disposing of waste.
Speaking during a National Sanitation Day exercise in Accra to commemorate World Cleanup Day, the Minister said the directive applies to metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies across the country.
He said priority attention would be given to Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi and other regional capitals, where increasing volumes of waste continue to put pressure on existing disposal infrastructure.
Mr Ayariga said the government intends to establish properly planned waste transfer stations at the metropolitan, municipal and district levels to create a more effective system for moving waste from communities to final disposal sites.
“I’m giving you 30 days to present to me a one-acre land in your metropolis, your municipality and your district because government is going to construct transfer stations in every metropolitan assembly, every district assembly, every municipal assembly,” he said.
He also directed MMDCEs in Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi and Sekondi-Takoradi to identify suitable locations for the development of properly engineered landfill facilities.
“I’m also directing the MMDCEs in Greater Accra, in Greater Kumasi, and Sekondi-Takoradi to also identify sites for us to construct landfill sites so that we can easily dispose of the waste,” he added.
Infrastructure gap
According to Mr Ayariga, Ghana’s waste management difficulties are not only the result of poor sanitation practices but are also linked to inadequate infrastructure.
He said the country lacks sufficient waste bins, collection trucks and tricycles to move waste from communities to transfer points, while many areas do not have properly established transfer stations.
He further raised concerns about the limited number and poor engineering and management of some existing landfill sites.
“The reason why we have a major challenge with waste management in this country is that we don’t even have the infrastructure. We don’t have the waste bins. We don’t have enough tricycles to carry the waste from the communities to transfer stations. We don’t even have the transfer stations. And worse still, we don’t even have enough landfill sites,” he said.
Mr Ayariga described the situation as unacceptable, arguing that Ghana should have basic waste management infrastructure such as properly engineered transfer stations, landfill facilities and collection points.
He said government’s new approach would focus on establishing an effective and efficient waste management system, in line with President John Dramani Mahama’s directive.
“My period in office is going to be characterised by ensuring, as directed by President John Dramani Mahama, that we develop an effective and efficient waste management system,” Mr Ayariga said.
The Minister said the planned infrastructure would form part of broader measures to improve sanitation and create a more reliable waste collection and disposal system across the country.
Story by Freedom Etsey Lavoe