Newly appointed Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, has said that the nation’s waste management system will be improved to ensure effective waste collection, transportation, treatment and final disposal across the country.
He was speaking during a tour of some key waste management facilities in the Greater Accra Region, such as Accra Compost and Recycling Plant (ACARP), Achimota Waste Transfer Station and Jamestown Waste Transfer Station, all subsidiaries of the Jospong Group of Companies (JGC), as well as the Kpone landfill site.
The tour, which included officials of Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), formed part of his early engagements to assess gaps within the waste management value chain and to explore investment opportunities to strengthen the nation’s sanitation infrastructure.
He was accompanied by the Metropolitan Chief Executive of Accra, Michael Allotey, officials of the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, representatives of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), and other dignitaries.
Mr Ayariga intimated that what he saw during the tour indicated the need for a comprehensive review of the entire waste management chain.
Waste separation
The minister said the challenges begin from households where waste was often mixed instead of being segregated at the source.
“From the homes where the waste is generated, we don't separate them.
We must put in place a system for separating it right from the homes.
“We must have receptacles and waste bins so that it is easier to convey the waste from there.
“We must overhaul the system of transporting the waste to the transfer stations.
We must not only bring the transfer stations closer to our communities, but we must also bring the treatment centres and the composting centres closer to our cities,” he said.
Mr Ayariga said the technology and infrastructure needed to improve waste management were already available, adding that the major challenge was organising the system properly.
explained that he was touring the facilities with the Vice President for Operations and Secretary-General of BADEA, Dr Fatima Elsheikh, as part of efforts to explore possible financing for waste management infrastructure.
Appeal
Mr Ayariga appealed to residents to take responsibility for the cost of managing the waste they generate.
He said the government would apply the polluter-pays principle, under which individuals and properties that generate waste would contribute fairly towards its management.
“I believe in the principle of the polluter pays. If you pollute, you pay for the management of the pollution.
“Every property must pay its fair share of the cost of managing waste,” the minister added.
Mr Ayariga, however, assured residents that the government would work towards making the system more efficient, and also reduce the cost of waste collection for households.
BADEA support
For her part, Dr Elsheikh said waste management should not be viewed only as an environmental challenge but also as an opportunity to create jobs, improve livelihoods and support economic development.
“I think what I saw today is inspiring. Waste is not about actual waste, it is actually about employment opportunities that it gives to people and improve livelihoods,” she said.
Dr Elsheikh said a cleaner Accra would also improve the city's attractiveness as an important African business and economic hub, adding, “Accra is not the capital of Ghana only, it's one of the hubs of Africa”.
She pledged her bank's willingness to support Ghana's efforts to improve the waste management sector.
