MMDCEs Given 30 Days to Pinpoint Waste Transfer Station Sites
MMDCEs across Ghana must submit potential locations for new waste transfer stations within a month, part of a nationwide sanitation overhaul.
The government has ordered all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives to locate and propose suitable sites for waste transfer stations within the next 30 days.
This instruction is a cornerstone of a broader plan to restructure Ghana's waste management system, creating a seamless chain from household collection to final disposal and recycling.
Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, made the announcement on Saturday, October 3, during the National Sanitation Day event at Rawlings Park in Accra, which coincided with World Cleanup Day 2026.
He directed the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and other metropolitan authorities to pinpoint locations of at least one acre each for the proposed stations.
The minister explained that this move follows President John Dramani Mahama's directive to enhance waste management starting at the household level.
Under the new scheme, residents will receive two bins to separate organic waste from other solid waste at the source.
The initiative also includes replacing open‑bucket tricycles, locally known as Aboboyaa, with modern self‑loading and self‑tipping waste collection vehicles.
Ayariga argued that this transition will not only improve refuse transport but also generate employment opportunities for youth involved in waste collection.
He stressed that gaps in the current waste chain often force improper disposal when people lack easy access to proper disposal points.
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 centres are also expected to secure land for engineered landfill facilities to support the new system.
While acknowledging that the programme will demand substantial financial resources, the minister emphasized that better waste handling will boost public health, reduce healthcare costs and make Ghana more appealing to tourists.
During the same event, Accra Mayor Michael Kpakpo Allotey urged citizens and traders to treat cleanliness as a daily duty rather than a periodic activity limited to national sanitation days.
King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, representing the Ga Mantse, echoed the call for continuous community commitment beyond organized clean‑up exercises.
No specific event meeting the defined criteria was announced in the report.
