President of the Chamber for Local Governance, Richard Fiadomor, has blamed tricycle operators, popularly known as Aboboya, for the increasing number of illegal waste-dumping sites in Accra and other major cities.

According to him, the activities of some Aboboya operators have contributed significantly to the sanitation challenges confronting urban areas, as they dump waste at unauthorised locations instead of designated disposal sites.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Wednesday, July 8, during a discussion on “Ghana’s Sanitation Problems”, Mr Fiadomor explained that Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) have engaged registered waste management companies to handle sanitation services.

"The assemblies will enter into a franchise agreement with the waste management operator to operate within a demarcated area within a particular MMDA. The assembly will come up with a fee-setting resolution so that the private company will not charge arbitrarily for the services they are going to render to the citizens. They can charge less than that but not above what the assembly has approved," he explained.

However, he said some households have resorted to using Aboboya operators because it is a cheaper alternative to the franchise companies, creating challenges in ensuring that waste ends up at approved dumping facilities.

"Some citizens who have used the services of these franchise companies have now 'quote and unquote' fallen in love with these Aboboya operators who are undercutting the prices of their services far less than the fee chosen resolution that has been approved by the assembly. So what do we see? We have seen that much of the waste is carried by these Aboboya collectors; unfortunately, they do not have what it takes to go to the long distances where some of the landfill sites are located," he said.

Mr Fiadomor added that some of the illegal dumping activities are carried out at night when the city is quiet, making it difficult for authorities to monitor and apprehend offenders.

"They take the waste, sometimes they find their way in the night when you and I are asleep, and they dump it anywhere and go back," he disclosed.

"Some citizens have decided to use the services of the Aboboya collectors, and once they're doing that, they are paying less.... they are okay with it. Those Aboboya people are now the ones creating the problems," he added.

He consequently attributed a significant part of the sanitation crisis, particularly the proliferation of illegal dumping sites, to the practices of some Aboboya operators.

His comments come amid growing concerns over the rise in illegal waste disposal sites in the capital, which have exposed communities living near such locations to serious health risks, including potential outbreaks of diseases.

The concerns have also heightened following recent flooding incidents in Accra, where several waste materials were seen being carried through floodwaters, raising questions about the impact of poor sanitation practices on public health and urban safety.