Ghana’s growing sanitation crisis could soon see a dedicated financial solution, as the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has announced plans to introduce a Sanitation Fund and Levy to tackle waste management challenges nationwide.

Speaking on the urgent need for sustainable funding, Mr Ibrahim stated, “When you are creating a fund, it means you are instituting a tax,” stressing that insufficient financial resources remain the biggest obstacle to solving the country’s sanitation problems.

The proposed levy, expected to be discussed when Parliament reconvenes, aims to provide a stable revenue stream to combat Ghana’s deteriorating waste management system.

According to a 2023 report by the World Bank, only 21 per cent of Ghanaians have access to improved sanitation facilities, with over 17,000 deaths annually attributed to poor sanitation and hygiene.

Ghana generates approximately 1.1 million metric tons of plastic waste annually, of which only 5 per cent is properly recycled, according to the Ghana Plastic Action Partnership.

The remainder contributes to severe environmental pollution, including clogged drains, flooding, and health hazards.

If implemented, the sanitation levy could significantly enhance waste collection services, improve public cleanliness initiatives, and upgrade sanitation infrastructure.

The government hopes to mirror successful models from countries like Rwanda, where strict sanitation policies and financial commitments have helped achieve a 90 per cent waste collection rate in Kigali.