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The government owes waste management companies a total of GHC4 billion for services provided to government agencies, MMDCEs, and other entities since 2022. This debt stems from services such as landfill management, refuse evacuation, and other waste management activities.
Ing. Eugene Amo-Asamoah, the Ashanti Regional President of the Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA), made this revelation during an interview on the Ghanakoma morning show on Akoma 87.9 FM in Kumasi on Friday, April 17, 2026. He explained that the outstanding debt is hampering the ability of waste management companies to effectively carry out their operations.
Amo-Asamoah urged the government to settle the overdue payments to allow ESPA members to continue their work. He also called for a review of the National Sanitation and Pollution Levy to help safeguard the infrastructure of Ghana’s waste management sector. ESPA is a coalition of private waste management companies in Ghana, which collaborates with the government and local authorities to promote efficient and sustainable environmental services.
According to Amo-Asamoah, some companies within the sector have not been paid for up to two to three years. Many service providers have had to borrow from banks, creditors, and suppliers to keep their operations running, but now face the threat of losing financial support, and in some cases, legal action.
Amo-Asamoah warned that if the government does not act quickly, several landfills and treatment facilities across the country may face closure. Such closures would not only disrupt waste collection services but could also trigger a public health crisis and jeopardize thousands of jobs.
He described the situation as “alarming,” pointing out that the waste management sector is in a state of financial and operational distress. He also highlighted the worsening condition of many waste treatment and disposal sites, which are poorly maintained and no longer functional.
In addition, Amo-Asamoah emphasized the lack of a dedicated budget for waste management, urging the government to allocate specific funds to support the sector and maintain the existing waste management infrastructure.
Story by Efua Nessa
Source :Loco tv