The President of the Borla Taxi and Tricycle Association (BTTA), Johnbusco Avom Aduko, has called on the government to be proactive in waste management in the country, stating it can help boost revenue.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Aduko has called on government to take a more proactive approach to waste management, warning that authorities often respond only after systems collapse.
His comment comes in the wake of reports that hundreds of tricycle riders transporting refuse have been left stranded along the Mallam–Kasoa Road due to mounting pressure at major waste disposal sites in the Greater Accra Region.
According to some of the affected riders, the situation has been caused by the closure of a refuse dumping site located on Mortuary Road, coupled with flooding at the Weija-Oblogo dumping site, which has significantly reduced waste disposal options.
Responding to this, Mr. Aduko said the association has already engaged the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs and other stakeholders, but the lack of timelines remains a concern.
“We have engaged the Ministry of Local Government and other stakeholders who have assured us they will find solutions, but the question is, when? Do we always have to wait before there is a problem before we find a solution?” he asked.
He stressed that proposals such as transfer stations have been on the table for years but remain unimplemented, worsening the pressure on existing facilities.
“There was a proposal to create a transfer station centre, and till now, that hasn’t been done,” he said.
Meanwhile, a Senior Research Scientist at the CSIR-Water Research Institute, Dr Pennante Naa Ayikailey Bruce-Vanderpuije, has raised concerns over the environmental and public health risks posed by refuse been dumped at the McCarthy Down landfill site.
She explained that flooding at the landfill site could wash contaminants into the Densu River, which serves as a major source of water for the Weija Dam, threatening water quality for thousands of residents in Accra and surrounding communities.
Source: Gertrude Otchere
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