Economist and Research Fellow at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), Dr. Kwame Adjei-Mantey, has called for a comprehensive overhaul of Ghana’s waste management governance framework, arguing that reforms in the sector are critical to addressing Accra’s persistent flooding challenge.
According to him, Ghana’s current waste management system is plagued by structural and governance deficiencies that continue to undermine efforts to prevent flooding, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, June 30, Dr. Adjei-Mantey said while improving drainage infrastructure remains important, policymakers must also pay closer attention to the governance of waste management, which he believes is a key contributor to the annual flooding experienced in Accra.
He noted that the existing institutional framework for waste management requires significant reforms to eliminate inefficiencies and improve coordination among agencies responsible for sanitation and waste disposal.
“Currently, there is a governance structure around waste management that needs an overhaul or an improvement. There are currently overlapping responsibilities and if you are looking at the structure of waste management, we don’t have a regulator in the space and that is some gap that some restructuring could deal with but beyond that, we have seen that waste collection across the nation is largely inconsistent and it is not equitable.”
Dr. Adjei-Mantey stressed that the absence of a dedicated regulator has created accountability gaps within the waste management sector, making it difficult to effectively coordinate sanitation efforts across the country.
He further observed that waste collection services remain uneven, with some communities enjoying regular collection while others are left without adequate services, a situation that often leads to indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drains and waterways.
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