Economist and Research Fellow at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), Dr. Kwame Adjei-Mantey, has called for major reforms in Ghana’s waste management system, saying the changes are necessary to help solve Accra’s ongoing flooding problem.
According to him, Ghana’s current waste management system has several structural and governance problems that continue to make flooding worse, especially during periods of heavy rainfall.
Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, June 30, Dr. Adjei-Mantey said that while improving drainage systems is important, government and policymakers should also focus on how waste management is organised and managed.
He believes poor waste management is one of the main causes of the yearly floods in Accra.
He explained that the country’s current waste management system needs major reforms to remove inefficiencies and improve coordination among the agencies responsible for sanitation and waste collection.
“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 said the lack of a dedicated regulator has created accountability gaps in the waste management sector, making it difficult for the different institutions to work together effectively and improve sanitation across the country.
He also pointed out that waste collection services are not the same in every community. While some areas receive regular waste collection, others are left without proper services.
As a result, people often dump rubbish into drains and waterways, increasing the risk of flooding whenever it rains.
