The Executive Secretary of the Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA), Ama Ofori Antwi, has urged government to adopt a more proactive and long-term approach to sanitation management, warning against what she describes as the tendency to respond only when challenges reach crisis levels.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Madam Ofori Antwi said stakeholders in the sanitation sector have repeatedly drawn attention to pressing challenges, yet meaningful action often comes only after problems have escalated.
“Government should prioritize sanitation. Sit with existing service providers and let’s see how we can address the challenges,” she said.
According to her, ESPA and other stakeholders have already engaged government on the urgency of issues confronting the sector but are yet to see the level of intervention required.
“We have engaged government on the urgency of the issue in the sanitation sector, but we always want to wait until a problem comes before we start looking out for knee-jerk firefighting solutions, which shouldn’t be,” she stated.
Madam Ofori Antwi stressed that waste management goes beyond simply collecting and disposing of refuse, describing it as a scientific process that requires proper planning and investment.
“Waste management is a science. We collect, we treat, we haulage and we should even start segregation at our homes,” she explained.
She noted that separating waste at the household level could significantly improve recycling efforts and support Ghana’s transition towards a circular economy.
“So that we can promote the circular economy where people who want to recycle can get very good products from the households. We don’t have to wait until we get to the dump sites before we segregate,” she said.
The ESPA Executive Secretary argued that a sustainable sanitation system requires active participation from households, private service providers and government agencies alike.
She cautioned that discussions alone would not solve the country’s sanitation challenges unless they are backed by concrete action.
“We can keep on saying all that we want to say, but if we don’t do the needful, it won’t amount to anything,” she added.
Her comments come amid growing concerns about waste management challenges in parts of the country, with stakeholders calling for greater investment, stronger regulation and long-term planning to ensure a cleaner and more sustainable environment.
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