ESPA initiates award scheme for members

The Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA), has deployed new innovations to achieve President Akufo-Addo’s vision of a clean Accra.

The Association has initiated an award scheme to honour its members with the cleanest area of jurisdiction.

The winner will be given a cash prize of GHȻ10,000 in addition to a sponsored visit to China, while the first and second runner ups will receive GH7, 000 and GH5, 000 respectively.

This was announced by the President of ESPA, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong at the Association’s annual end-of year get-together held at the Ghana International Trade Fair Centre in Accra on Sunday.

In addition, he said ESPA is set to deploy technological innovation to help effectively eradicate filth and make Accra the cleanest city in the sub-region.

The technological innovation which is an application software will afford the general public the opportunity to fight indiscriminate dumping of waste by taking a picture of any waste at public places, upload them unto their phones using the “app” for onward alert and collection, he said.

Dr. Siaw Agyepong said ESPA which includes over 5,000 tricycle operators nationwide are ready as a rapid response team to collect the waste anytime they receive the alert on their mobile phones.

He also urged tricycle operators in the industry to cover their refuse with nets to prevent it from dropping on the roads.

 According to him, tricycle operators will be equipped with nose mask, broom, shovel, pickers among other to facilitate their work.

He further stated that the theme for the association in 2019 is “Pick it up”, adding that it is a commitment towards ensuring that every waste is collected and processed.

According to him, workers would be encouraged to pick up refuse irrespective of their area of operation.

“Wherever you see a refuse, whether it is under your area of operation or not, you must pick it up. The innovations are to help achieve the president’s vision of clean Accra” he explained.

Some members of ESPA at the function

Speaking at the function, the Deputy Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Mr. Michael Gyato urged Assemblies to enforce the sanitation bye-laws to ensure that sanitary offenders are punished.

He said the Ministry would also deploy digital systems to monitor the operations of the tricycle operators to ensure they adhere to the guidelines governing their operations.

This, he noted will ensure that all stakeholders perform their duties efficiently to achieve President Nana Addo’s vision of making Accra the cleanest city in the sub-region.

The Environmental Services Providers Association is an umbrella body of private waste companies handling waste of various categories within the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) which also include private tricycle waste collectors.