Founder and Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies, Joseph Siaw Agyepong has called for the strict enforcement of sanitation bylaws, saying Ghana can only achieve lasting cleanliness if authorities take firm action against illegal waste disposal.
He made the call during the first day of the National Cleaning Exercise on Friday, July 10, 2026.
The nationwide exercise follows President John Dramani Mahama’s directive for a two-day clean-up campaign after the June 29, 2026 floods that affected Accra and several other parts of the country.
Mr. Siaw Agyepong said the clean-up campaign would produce better results if authorities enforced existing sanitation regulations.
“It must be enforced; the laws must be enforced,” he said.
“We are going to support the government to ensure the enforcement of bylaws, to ensure that people do the right thing.”
He identified illegal dumping at designated waste collection points as one of the country’s major sanitation challenges.
According to him, weak enforcement and poor supervision at some collection centres have allowed the practice to continue.
He explained that market traders should dispose of their waste in designated containers, while commercial tricycle operators, popularly known as ‘aboboyaa’ operators, should transport refuse to transfer stations instead of dumping it at market collection points.
“The aboboyaa people come and dump here, and then they collect money. They are not supposed to dump here; they are supposed to go to a transfer station,” he said.
Mr. Siaw Agyepong also alleged that some container attendants accept money from waste transporters and permit the illegal dumping. He therefore urged metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to strengthen monitoring at waste collection sites.
“What do you expect the assembly to do? Immediately, the assembly must ensure that the container attendant… only the market people bring their waste here. Apart from them, nobody should bring waste here,” he said.
He praised President John Dramani Mahama for launching the National Cleaning Exercise, describing the initiative as a strong show of leadership in addressing Ghana’s sanitation challenges.
“Every country is the leader that leads, and then sanitation helps,” he said. “President Mahama is leading a very good cause, and we have to appreciate him for the bold step of leadership.”
Mr. Siaw Agyepong added that the President’s plan to revive waste transfer stations would strengthen the country’s waste management system.
However, he stressed that improved infrastructure alone would not solve the sanitation problem without the consistent enforcement of sanitation laws.
