Government unveils new waste management system, gives MMDCEs 30-day deadline

Story by: Regina Bless

The Government of Ghana has announced a major overhaul of the country’s waste management system, with plans to provide households with separate waste bins, establish waste transfer stations and replace open-bucket waste tricycles with improved collection vehicles.

The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, announced the measures on Saturday, October 3, 2026, during the National Sanitation Day exercise at Rawlings Park in Accra.

The exercise formed part of activities to commemorate World Cleanup Day 2026 under the global theme, “From Clean Plates to Clean Cities,” and Ghana’s complementary national theme, “National Sanitation Day: Local Actions Yielding National Impact.”

Mr. Ayariga said the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and other Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) have been given 30 days to identify and submit suitable one-acre sites for the construction of waste transfer stations.

He explained that the directive forms part of President John Dramani Mahama’s vision of developing an efficient waste management system that begins at the household level.

According to the Minister, the government is working on an integrated waste management system that will address challenges across the entire waste chain—from household collection and transfer stations to final disposal and recycling.

He said Metropolitan Chief Executives in Greater Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi and other regional capitals have been specifically tasked with identifying appropriate sites. Assemblies in major urban areas are also expected to identify land for the development of properly engineered landfill facilities.

Mr. Ayariga noted that although many residents understand the importance of proper waste disposal, the lack of accessible disposal facilities often forces people to resort to inappropriate methods.

As part of the new system, households are expected to receive two waste bins, with one designated for organic waste and the other for general solid waste. The initiative is intended to promote waste separation at source and improve recycling.

The government also plans to phase out the open-bucket tricycles, popularly known as Aboboyaa, used for refuse collection and replace them with self-loading and self-tipping waste vehicles, particularly for young people engaged in waste collection.

Mr. Ayariga acknowledged that the programme would require significant government investment but said improved sanitation could deliver broader economic and social benefits, including reduced healthcare costs, cleaner communities and a more attractive environment for visitors.

The Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, urged traders and residents to make cleanliness a daily responsibility rather than limiting sanitation activities to National Sanitation Day.

A representative of the Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, similarly called on residents and traders to take greater responsibility for maintaining clean communities even after organised clean-up exercises.

The government’s proposed reforms are expected to place greater emphasis on waste separation, efficient collection, improved disposal infrastructure and recycling as Ghana seeks to address persistent sanitation challenges.