The Communications Manager of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Ernest Morgan Acquah, has disclosed that despite efforts to improve waste management, 30% of waste in Accra remains uncollected. This is in contrast to the 70% of waste that is collected, with large waste management companies like Zoomlion responsible for 80% of the collection and local tricycle operators, known as “Aboboyaa”, collecting the remaining 20%.
Accra has struggled with chronic flooding issues over the years, exacerbated by clogged gutters filled with waste. Dr Kwadwo Ohene Sarfoh, Project Coordinator of the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project, confirmed that while significant progress has been made in collecting waste, there is still a long way to go.
In a recent interview, Dr Ohene Sarfoh acknowledged the significant amount of waste present on the ground, stating that “what we’re finding on the ground is quite a lot, though we have been doing regular clean-ups with the Assemblies.” He noted that the goal of collecting 250 tons of waste per assembly per month has been exceeded, but emphasized that “people are just throwing in the gutters and all of that.”
Mr Acquah confirmed that 70% of waste is collected, leaving 30% uncollected, and expressed concern over the absence of a proper landfill site in Accra. He explained that waste management companies are forced to travel over 100 kilometers to dispose of waste in the Eastern region, highlighting the need for a more sustainable solution.
Currently, 80% of collected waste is disposed of, while 20% is recycled. However, Mr Acquah criticized some “Aboboyaa” operators for their improper disposal of waste collected from smaller communities, stating that “some of them don’t dispose it rightly… we’re counting them as picking the waste as part of the 70%, but the 70% they will go dispose it off at different places – Motorway, sometimes at night.”
