Government plans engineered landfills and waste transfer stations nationwide – Ayariga

The government is preparing to invest in engineered landfill sites across regional capitals and waste transfer stations in all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) as part of a major overhaul of Ghana’s sanitation infrastructure. Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Minister Mahama Ayariga disclosed this at the Government Accountability Series at the Jubilee House on Monday, October 5. Mr Ayariga said the Ministry had advanced the design of a nationwide sanitation strategy and was awaiting detailed cost estimates from the relevant technical teams for the construction of the landfill sites and transfer stations.

He said the proposed plan includes three landfill sites for Greater Accra and two each for Greater Kumasi and Sekondi-Takoradi. “For Greater Accra, three landfill sites and two for Greater Kumasi and Sekondi-Takoradi” are being considered, he said. Under the strategy, waste transfer stations would also be developed in every MMDA to improve the collection and transportation of waste.

Mr Ayariga said the infrastructure would be supported with waste collection vehicles, tricycles and household bins to strengthen waste management at the local level. He added that electronic payment systems would also be introduced to make waste collection more seamless and improve the efficiency of the system. The proposed investments form part of the government’s broader efforts to strengthen sanitation infrastructure and improve waste management across the country.

The government is preparing a major overhaul of environmental sanitation in Greater Accra, including new waste transfer facilities, digital fee collection and stricter enforcement of waste separation rules. Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Mahama Ayariga outlined the plans on Monday, October 5, at the Government Accountability Series. He said the proposed reforms would divide Greater Accra into operational sanitation blocks supported by dedicated landfill and transfer facilities, while strategically located smaller transfer stations would be introduced.

The Minister also announced plans to enforce source separation of waste at household level through a two-bin system, supported by digital tracking and appropriate penalties. “Sanitation will be fully mainstreamed into Medium-Term Development Plans and budgets, with clear performance indicators to enable MMDAs to measure progress and improve accountability,” he said. Mr Ayariga said government would also deploy electric tricycles, optimise night-time waste collection and introduce a fully cashless fee collection system linked to mobile money and other electronic payment platforms.