Omanghana
The Minority in Parliament has called for the establishment of a dedicated sanitation fund to provide reliable financing for waste collection, processing and infrastructure development across Ghana’s metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies.
According to the Minority, inadequate funding continues to prevent local authorities from effectively managing waste, maintaining landfill sites and addressing challenges such as open defecation and indiscriminate dumping.
The opposition lawmakers said Ghana must move beyond the routine collection and disposal of refuse by investing in sustainable waste-treatment technologies. They proposed converting waste into useful resources, including electricity generated through biogas systems.
They argued that a properly structured sanitation fund would guarantee consistent financial support for local assemblies and reduce their dependence on irregular budgetary allocations.
The proposal comes amid parliamentary discussions on strengthening Ghana’s sanitation management system. The Parliamentary Select Committee on Sanitation and Water Resources has reportedly supported legislation seeking to establish a National Sanitation Authority.
The proposed authority is expected to improve coordination, regulation and accountability within the sanitation sector while providing a more formal institutional framework for waste management.
Similar calls have previously been made by local government officials, including Central Regional Minister Ekow Panyin Okyere Eduamoah, who advocated for a sanitation financing arrangement modelled on the Ghana Education Trust Fund.
Supporters believe a dedicated fund could finance regular waste collection, drainage maintenance and other environmental interventions needed to reduce flooding and improve public health.
President John Mahama has also announced plans to decentralize the national sanitation budget and make environmental cleanliness a key performance indicator for metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives.
Under the proposed accountability arrangement, local government heads who fail to maintain acceptable sanitation standards within their jurisdictions could face removal from office.
Source: Omanghana
