Sanitation time bomb: Eastern Accra’s only landfill nears exhaustion
Communities in the eastern parts of the Greater Accra Region face an imminent sanitation crisis following confirmation that the only operational landfill serving the area, the Tema Controlled Dumpsite at Kpone, could be exhausted within a month if urgent action is not taken.
This came to light when the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, paid a visit to the landfill site last Monday.
The visit followed earlier briefings to the ministry indicating that the facility, which serves as the final disposal site for hospital, domestic and industrial waste in eastern Accra, was nearing full capacity.
The minister was accompanied by the Metropolitan Chief Executive of Tema, Ebi Bright; the Municipal Chief Executive for Kpone-Katamanso, Samuel Tetteh Quarshie Morton; the MCE for Ashaiman, Freeman Tsekpo; as well as officials from the Ministry and Waste Landfills Company Ltd, as well as officers from affected assemblies.
Situation
Mr Ibrahim explained that the purpose of the visit was to assess the situation on the ground and determine what information should be formally presented to the President.
“If critical steps are not taken, in about one month, the entire eastern part of Accra, covering about 10 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies will have nowhere to dump their waste,” he stated.
He added that under current arrangements, waste operators from Accra East could be forced to travel as far as Nsawam to dispose of refuse, a situation he described as unsustainable and costly.
“Yes, it is true. We are sitting on a sanitation time bomb,” Mr Ibrahim said.
Delayed intervention
The minister disclosed that about $25 million from the World Bank had earlier been earmarked for landfill development, while a private sector-led integrated waste management treatment plant was also being developed at Agomeda.
He noted that delays in implementing these interventions had worsened the current situation.
He emphasised that developing a properly engineered landfill could take between six months and more than a year, underscoring the urgency of interim solutions.
Emergency meeting
The minister announced that he has summoned the Greater Accra Regional Minister and all 29 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the region to an emergency meeting on Friday, during which each assembly would be required to present the status of sanitation and landfill management in its jurisdiction.
Safety and capacity concerns
In the interim, Mr Ibrahim directed the contractor managing the Kpone landfill to immediately enforce strict safety measures to protect workers and informal waste pickers, particularly through the mandatory use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
The Head of Waste Management at the Tema Metropolitan Assembly, Bertha Essel, revealed that the dumpsite, originally designed to operate for 15 to 25 years, had exceeded its design capacity.
“The design airspace of 16 metres has been exhausted. We are now operating beyond 24 metres,” she said.
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