Waste contractors demand payment, say refuse could engulf cities soon
Ghana faces a potential sanitation crisis as members of the Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA) have threatened to suspend all waste collection services nationwide by 7 November 2025, if government fails to settle outstanding arrears owed to contractors.
In an interview on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Thursday (30 October),
Mr.Ernest Morgan Acquah, a member of ESPA, revealed that the government owes waste management companies—including major players such as Zoomlion, J. Stanley Owusu, Jekora Ventures, and SSGL—for as long as three years.
According to Acquah, the arrears have crippled operations, leaving many companies unable to pay staff, maintain trucks, or service debts owed to banks. “We’ve had several meetings with the Ministry of Local Government and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Sanitation, but we see little effort to resolve this. By 7 November, we will have no choice but to fold up,” he said.
Mr.Ernest Morgan Acquah
Acquah described the situation as a “national security issue,” warning that any disruption in waste management could trigger outbreaks of cholera, malaria, and typhoid, especially in densely populated areas.
He added that the cost of transporting waste has increased sharply due to the absence of engineered landfill sites in Accra. “We have to haul waste over 50 kilometres to the Eastern Region to dump at Adipa. The costs are killing us,” he lamented.
The group is urging government to revive the Sanitation and Pollution Levy to provide sustainable funding for waste management. Acquah said this dedicated fund could stabilise the sector and prevent future crises.
“We are doing our part to keep Ghana clean. But without support, the waste will pile up, and everyone—including government—will feel the consequences,” he warned.
ESPA’s strike threat comes amid growing public concern about mounting refuse heaps in parts of Accra and Kumasi. Industry insiders estimate the government owes service providers tens of millions of cedis in arrears.By: Winifred Lartey
