A senior research fellow at the Institute for Environmental and Sanitation Studies at the University of Ghana, Dr Ted Yemoh Annang, has called for the formalisation of tricycle waste collection operators, popularly known as Aboboya, to enhance the country’s waste management system.

According to him, although the operations of these waste collectors are often considered informal, their contribution to keeping communities clean cannot be underestimated.

Speaking on JoyFM’s SMS programme on Monday, July 13, Dr Annang said Aboboya operators play a critical role in waste collection, particularly in areas where conventional waste management services face challenges.

He argued that integrating them into the formal waste management framework would not only improve sanitation but also create employment opportunities for young people across the country.

"The Aboboya, how many are there in the system? We call them informal players, yet they play a very significant role in places where the so-called formal cars cannot access. So we should look at the various stages of the waste management chain; there are areas that we need to improve.

"If properly managed, properly done, each of these can offer an employment avenue," he added.

Dr Annang’s comments come after the second day of the national clean-up exercise following recent flooding in parts of the country, especially Accra, which exposed challenges in waste disposal and drainage management.

He stressed that Ghana’s sanitation efforts must include both long-term infrastructure investments and the recognition of existing actors contributing to waste management.

Meanwhile, President of the Chamber for Local Governance, Richard Fiadomor, has blamed the Aboboya system 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.

READ ALSO: Chamber for Local Governance blames Aboboya operators for illegal waste dumping crisis