The Kumasi Metropolis is grappling with an escalating sanitation issue, with market centres engulfed in filth, leaving both residents and traders deeply concerned.

These public concerns are in stark contrast to claims made by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), which asserts that it clears 90% of the waste daily.

A visit to the Central Business District of Adum and Kejetia, as well as other parts of the city, revealed piles of rubbish and litter, particularly plastic waste, strewn across main streets and drains, creating an unpleasant environment for both shoppers and commuters.

Traders argue that the accumulation of waste is the result of the city authorities' failure to ensure regular cleaning, claiming that waste collection is irregular and poses serious health risks.

“The filth is overwhelming, and this could lead to serious health problems. The streets and gutters are always dirty. We gather the refuse for the cleaners, but they don’t clean here every day. The dustbins fill up quickly and are left for about three days,” one trader remarked.

“The rubbish affects us, the dustbins always fill up, and we can’t close them. They begin to smell,” another trader added.

Key trading hubs, such as the Asafo Fish Market, Borla Ho Market near Dr. Mensah, and Suame Kotoko, have had to contend with inadequate waste management.

In the Bombay community, near WAEC Asawasi, the main drain has become an eyesore. The area is littered with plastic waste, and open defecation is a common issue. The stench in the area is unbearable, with some local artisans claiming that the drainage was last desilted in 2014.

The poor sanitation is also highly visible at a major bridge linking Ahodwo to Asokwa. The wetland near the Asokwa flyover is being encroached upon by construction activities, and the primary drainage is clogged with plastic waste.

The Head of Waste Management at KMA, Prosper Kotoka, acknowledged that the assembly is struggling to manage the waste.

“I agree that anyone who conducts a thorough inspection will conclude that the city is dirty. The reason for this is that we have three modes of collection, which happen only at night. The city is so congested that we can’t sweep during the day. We wait for people to finish their business,” he explained.

In an interview with Luv FM, Mr. Kotoka revealed that the assembly manages to remove about 90% of the waste generated in Greater Kumasi each day.

“Greater Kumasi generates about 2,000 tonnes of waste daily. To give you a better idea, the large refuse trucks we use, known as compactor trucks, have a maximum capacity of 10 to 12 tonnes. So, 100 of those trucks would remove 1,000 tonnes, meaning we’re talking about 200 loads of those large trucks every day.”

He continued, “That’s why when people say Kumasi is dirty, they need to consider the amount of waste that is removed daily. I can’t say all of it, but approximately 90% of the waste from the Central Business District is cleared every day.”

Mr. Kotoka also stressed that waste management is a shared responsibility, pointing out the indiscipline among a segment of the public regarding waste disposal.

However, residents of Kumasi are calling for more proactive measures and meaningful actions to ensure the city remains clean.