Let's take over our sanitation management - MMDAs appeal to government

Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies in the Greater Accra Region want a review of the Sanitation Improvement Package (SIP). They seek to take full control of waste management.

The SIP is a 5-year contract between the assemblies and the central government. It was signed through the dissolved Ministry of Sanitation. Zoomlion Ghana Limited is the implementation agency for this contract.

Under this agreement, Zoomlion must provide and empty refuse containers at designated sites. However, it has consistently failed to meet these obligations over the years.

This information was shared with Parliament’s Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources. The committee is on a 3-day visit to all 19 Assemblies in Greater Accra.

Engineer Solomon Noi, Director for Waste Management at AMA, presented findings to the committee. He reported that only 3 out of 15 collection sites are clean and have emptied containers. The remaining 12 sites are messy, with many lacking containers altogether.

For example, Chorkor No.7 and Attoh Quarshie do not have lifting containers. Containers at several other locations are full and overflowing with refuse. Out of 15 sites under AMA, Zoomlion has provided containers for only 8.

Similar issues were raised by the Korle Klottey assembly regarding waste management.

The assemblies claim that the Ministry of Sanitation did not consult them before awarding the SIP contract to Zoomlion.

Douglas Annoful, Metropolitan Coordinating Director for AMA, expressed frustration about this process. He stated that they should have been involved in discussions before signing agreements.

He noted that often agreements are presented after they are signed by others. This leaves little room for input from local leaders like Coordinating Directors or Sanitation Heads.

Mr. Annoful emphasized that he felt pressured to sign without proper consultation on key terms like schedules or equipment provisions from Zoomlion.

Other assembly managers echoed his frustrations during the committee's visits.

The assemblies continue to call for a review of the SIP so they can manage waste effectively themselves.

The Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources will make recommendations after their visit concludes.