By Felix Cofie
The Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA) has issued a strong warning to the government, demanding the immediate payment of all outstanding arrears owed to its members or risk a total shutdown of waste management services across the country.
At a packed news conference in Accra on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, ESPA’s Executive Secretary, Madam Ama Ofori Antwi, said Ghana’s waste management system was on the brink of collapse due to severe financial constraints.
According to her, many waste management companies have been forced to rely on loans, credit facilities, and supplier support to stay operational over the years. However, those avenues have now been exhausted, with some creditors threatening legal action.
“If immediate government attention and intervention are not provided, these compounded challenges could cripple Ghana’s waste management system in a matter of days — reversing years of progress in keeping our cities clean and protecting public health and the environment,” she warned.
Madam Ofori Antwi revealed that ESPA had engaged with the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, as well as relevant parliamentary committees, to facilitate payment to members — but with little success so far.
She therefore appealed to the government to urgently release all arrears to ESPA members through the Ministry of Finance by November 7, 2025, to avert a nationwide shutdown.
The ESPA Executive Secretary also called for a policy review of the Sanitation and Pollution Levy, urging that it be structured as a dedicated fund to support the waste management sector.
“There has been no dedicated budgetary allocation for waste management over the years. The sector’s financial sustainability is therefore at risk, and we may face major service disruptions if urgent action is not taken,” she added.
Madam Ofori Antwi further urged Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to review current cost recovery rates paid to waste collectors, transporters, and transfer station operators, describing the existing rates as “economically unsustainable.”
“A fair and realistic adjustment is essential to ensure business viability and the continued provision of effective sanitation services nationwide,” she stated.
While stressing the urgency of government intervention, she reaffirmed ESPA’s support for President John Dramani Mahama’s re-launch of the National Sanitation Day, noting that the initiative aligns with their commitment to cleaner, healthier communities.
ESPA is a coalition of private waste management companies in Ghana that works with government and local authorities to promote sustainable, inclusive, and efficient environmental services across the country.
