The Parliamentary Select Committee on Environment, Science and Technology, has advocated for a stakeholder engagement on achieving a sustainable waste management system in the country.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for New Adubia, and the chairman of the committee, Yaw Frimpong Addo, stated that the operational cost of the various recycling plants across the country, segregation of waste, cost of cutting waste, among other issues, need national stakeholder deliberation.

During a tour of environmental facilities in the Ahafo region, including the Goaso Integrated Recycling Compost Plant (GIRCP), the committee indicated the need for the government to fully support the private sector in the fight against environmental uncleanliness.

The committee had earlier held engagement with the Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), other environmental and sanitation facilities in the region and the staff of the Rregional environmental health department.

The world generates an estimated 3.4 billion tonnes of waste annually, which equates to approximately 9.3 million tonnes per day.

This waste generation is expected to increase by 73 per cent from 2020 levels to 3.88 billion tonnes in 2050.

In Ghana, about 12,710 tonnes of solid waste are generated every day, with only 10 per cent collected and disposed of properly. Plastic waste constitutes a large proportion of urban waste.

The cost of waste collection in Accra, Ghana alone is about GH₵6.00 (Ghana Cedis) per ton. This cost is incurred by private contractors who provide containers for waste storage and ensure its clearance from collection points.

Accra's per capita waste generation rate is 0.70kg per day. While formal waste collection services are prevalent in higher-income areas, they are significantly lacking in low-income areas, where only 40 per cent of waste is collected.

Mr Addo, in addition, allayed the fears of the public that over 40,000 workers of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) will lose their jobs because of the current developments, saying that engagements are ongoing.

The manager of sewage system at the Zoomlion Ghana limited, Lola Ashitey, stated that though government still owe them, the company is still focus on its duty and entreated all and sundry to play their part.

She indicated that the GH₵850, which is allocated to the company by the government, has a three-fold division, namely for the worker (sweeper), cater for operational costs, and the other goes to Zoomlion Ghana Limited.

Lola Ashitey noted that ensuring a well coordinated sanitation management system in the country including adequate funding, logistics and infrastructure demands an all-hands-on-deck approach.