On Saturday, October 3, Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Mahama Ayariga announced that Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) have 30 days to submit suitable sites for the construction of waste transfer stations. The directive was unveiled during the National Sanitation Day exercise at Rawlings Park in Accra, marking World Cleanup Day 2026.
Ayaraiga said the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and other assemblies must locate at least one‑acre plots for the facilities, which will become part of an integrated system covering waste collection, transfer, disposal and recycling. The initiative follows President John Dramani Mahama’s directive to improve household‑level waste management.
The new system will provide households with two waste bins to separate organic waste from other solid waste at source. The government also plans to replace open‑bucket tricycles, known as Aboboyaa, with self‑loading and self‑tipping waste vehicles to improve refuse transport, especially for young people involved in waste collection.
Ayaraiga noted that the programme would require significant government investment but argued that better sanitation could deliver wider economic and public health benefits, including cleaner communities, reduced healthcare costs and a more attractive environment for visitors. Metropolitan Chief Executives in Greater Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi‑Takoradi and other regional capitals have been tasked with identifying suitable locations for transfer stations, while assemblies in major urban areas are expected to find land for properly engineered landfill facilities.
Accra Mayor Michael Kpakpo Allotey urged traders and residents to adopt cleanliness as an everyday responsibility, while Ga Mantse King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II called for sustained community involvement after organized clean‑up exercises.
What follows is a coordinated effort across local governments to secure land and mobilize resources for a comprehensive waste management overhaul, with the 30‑day deadline marking the first step toward a cleaner Ghana.
