Accra is currently facing a major sanitation crisis due to the lack of adequate landfill sites and proper waste disposal infrastructure, raising serious concerns about public health and environmental safety.
This came to light during a recent tour by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources to various municipalities within the Greater Accra Region. The tour revealed a worrying increase in waste generation across the capital.
The Director of Waste Management at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Engineer Solomon Noi, attributed the worsening situation to the absence of functional landfill sites and insufficient infrastructure to support effective waste management.
At the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly, the committee encountered a similar situation. The Municipal Coordinating Director, Mr. Emmanuel Baisie, disclosed that the government had signed waste management contracts with the Jospong Group of Companies—operators of Zoomlion—without involving the assembly’s technical experts.
“This has made it difficult for us to supervise the work being done by Zoomlion,” Mr. Baisie said. “We were not consulted when the contract was signed, so we have no direct control over their operations. Yet, payments are deducted at source. We have capable personnel here who can manage waste if given the opportunity. With our Internally Generated Funds (IGF), we could engage other companies or manage waste ourselves.”
He added that the assembly has taken initiatives such as forming late-afternoon cleaning teams to maintain the cleanliness of green areas across the city.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee, John Oti Bless, described the situation in Accra as “unfortunate,” particularly the alarming volume of rubbish observed throughout the capital.
“The assemblies have indicated they can fund waste services using their IGF, so they should be given the authority to engage service providers directly. We will raise this issue in Parliament,” Mr. Bless stated. “It’s unacceptable in the 21st century to have waste piling up across the city while key stakeholders are sidelined during contract signings.”
The committee plans to visit a total of 19 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) within the Greater Accra Region to assess the extent of the sanitation challenges and recommend appropriate interventions.
Story by Osman Issah Abadoo
