Dr Freda Akosua Prempeh, the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, has called on metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies to impose penalties on waste management companies for delayed offloading.

She stated that the move would enhance the responsibility and proactiveness of waste management companies in addressing the issue of trash deluge in Ghanaian communities.

Dr Prempeh gave the suggestion at the Minister’s news briefing organised by the Ministry of Information in Accra on Friday.

Dr. Prempeh suggests the establishment of a Sanitation Authority to regulate the indiscriminate dumping of waste by tricycle operators.

The Ministry, she said, would soon launch a comprehensive behavioral change campaign christened “Sesa W) Su Ban,” which literally means ‘change your behaviour’ to whip up public sentiment towards observing environmental cleanliness.

The minister emphasized the importance of all stakeholders in effectively playing their prescribed roles to achieve the government’s vision of a clean Ghana and sustainable WASH service delivery.

The Assemblies are tasked with providing water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities and services, as well as enforcing sanitation bylaws within their jurisdiction, she explained.

“Households, on the other part, are expected to make the waste available for collection and disposal and keep hygienic surroundings as well as pay the requisite fees for the services being provided by the MMDAs,” the Minister added.