The GHc 892 million debt at the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, which has created sanitation challenges in cities and towns, is on the verge of being settled, according to the sector Minister, Joseph Kofi Adda.
“As a result, the sight of rubbish on the streets of Ghana’s major cities and towns will be a thing of the past,” the Minister said.
Speaking at a meeting with the press on Thursday, Mr. Adda indicated that the GHc 892 million inherited from the Mahama administration was owed the sanitation service providers who were unable to see to the cleanliness of cities and towns because of the debt.
“In the immediate past, what has stood in the way of the timely and efficient provision of waste management services or the collection of refuse or garbage, for that matter, was an outstanding debt of GHc 892 million which the ministry inherited from the previous government owed to waste management companies,” Mr. Adda explained.
But the Akufo-Addo administration had renegotiated the settlement of these debts and has also “commenced payment [of the debts] and has made resources available for the emergency evacuation of the heaps of refuse which are piled up, especially in Accra and our regional capitals.”
“The Ministry of Finance has released funds for the immediate evacuation of waste and that will be carried out within the next few days,” Mr. Adda added.
Closure of illegal dump sites
The minister noted that removal of the waste will also led to the closure of illegal dumpsites dotted throughout the capital of Accra and other regional capitals as well.”
The Ministry of Finance has released GHc 50 million for the construction of 15 mini transfer stations in line with this.
Mr. Adda explained that the absence of mini waste transfers stations strategically placed nationwide to serve as stop gap measures for waste management “is also a major contributed to the current filthy situation in Accra and has to be addressed.”
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana