The Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA) has disclosed that it will be importing some 1,000 brand new waste collecting tricycles this year to its members in a bid to combat waste crisis in the country.
The association also revealed that it will introduce a digitization solution to waste management that will assist in locating and transporting waste.
President of ESPA and Executive Chairman of Jospong Group Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong made this known at the association’s end of year party Sunday, adding that with media advocacy and sensitization, these goals will be achieved.
He said “five members of ESPA are going to China in two weeks to inspect the tricycles to approve shipment. We are also going to introduce digitization solutions to waste management by adding a platform so that wherever you see any waste in Accra, just take a snapshot of it and the waste will be arrested immediately.”
He said that “ESPA in collaboration with the formal and informal sector have themed the year pick it up meaning that we have all put our hands on deck to ensure that every refuse on the streets and everywhere in the Greater Accra region will be collected. Wherever we see waste, we will put all hands on deck to ensure the vision of making Accra the cleanest city is achieved.”
Dr. Agyapong noted that local Ghanaian companies have over the years developed the needed local solution towards providing lasting solution to Ghana’s waste management. He said a strong integrated management solution has been provided by the private sector starting with the haulage of waste, free transportation, transfer stations, compost waste recycling and land fill management facilities. Adding that they are internationally accepted waste management capabilities developed by the private sector which clearly shows readiness by Ghanaian companies to making sure Ghana is the cleanest country.
He charged law enforcement agencies to be vigilant saying “we have adequate laws that should be enforced and ensure that citizens keep their environment clean. Some of these laws such as the Environment Protection Agency Act and others need to be enforced. When these laws are enforced I can assure you that ESPA and over 1,500 informal sectors and tricycle operators will manage the waste in the country.”
Currently ESPA has over 1,500 members who are tricycle waste collectors in the Greater Accra Region alone, with presence as well in the Central, Ashanti, Western, Volta and Brong Ahafo Regions.
All tricycle riders were registered with ID cards to curb vices, with every rider to be provided with boots, gloves, shovels, uniforms, brooms, pickers and nets to cover the rubbish during transportation.
To ease transportation to larger dump sites, there are transfer stations at Achimota, Mallam, Mortuary road Agbogbloshie, Amansaman Kotoku, Kasoa Awutu Senya, Teshie, and James Town which can process about 400 tons of waste.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM/Senanu Damilola Wemakor
