The government is preparing to overhaul household waste collection by phasing out the widely used aboboya system and replacing it with purpose-built waste collection vehicles, Local Government Minister Mahama Ayariga has disclosed.
Under the proposed arrangement, specialised vehicles will be deployed to collect household waste and discharge it mechanically at designated transfer stations, from where larger trucks will transport the waste to landfill sites.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Thursday, September 10, Mr Ayariga said the initiative forms part of efforts to establish a more regulated and efficient waste management system across Ghana’s major cities.
He said discussions had already been held with Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson over financing for the specialised vehicles, which would eventually allow the government to phase out the current system.
“So I’ve discussed with the Finance Minister; he says he’s willing to invest in those ones. When those ones come, you can now replace that,” he said.
The Minister also disclosed plans to introduce an electronic payment system for household waste collection.
According to him, the government is engaging banks and fintech companies to develop a platform that will allow households to pay for waste collection digitally, including through mobile money.
The proposed system will also introduce a weighing mechanism to determine payments to waste collection operators.
Waste delivered to transfer stations would be weighed, with the quantity discharged used to calculate the amount payable to the operator.
Mr Ayariga said the government also intends to improve access to transfer stations by constructing them within a maximum distance of five kilometres from communities.
The proposed changes, he explained, are aimed at creating a more organised waste collection chain in which household waste is collected, weighed and transferred efficiently before being transported to final disposal sites.
The initiative is expected to form part of broader efforts to modernise waste management and address some of the challenges associated with the current household waste collection system.
