Mr Ahmed Ibrahim
The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has appealed to members of the Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA) to reconsider their planned strike scheduled for November 7, 2025, as the government takes steps to resolve their grievances.
Speaking to journalists after leading the November edition of the National Sanitation Day exercise in Accra on Saturday, November 1, the Minister said the concerns raised by ESPA were receiving urgent attention at the highest levels of government.
“We are engaging with the leadership of ESPA and other key stakeholders to find a lasting solution. The government is aware of the challenges and is already working on payment arrangements to address the arrears,” Ibrahim assured.
Waste collection services across Accra and other major cities are expected to grind to a halt from November 7 if the Association goes ahead with its threat to suspend operations over three years of unpaid arrears owed by the government.
Earlier this week, the Executive Secretary of ESPA, Madam Ama Ofori Antwi, sounded the alarm at a press briefing, warning that service providers were on the brink of collapse due to mounting financial pressures and delayed payments.
She noted that most waste management companies had resorted to loans and credit from banks and suppliers to sustain operations, and that without immediate government intervention, the situation could lead to a national sanitation and public health emergency.
Responding to these concerns, the Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that sanitation and waste management services across the country are not disrupted.
He revealed that discussions were ongoing between his Ministry, the Ministry of Finance, and the Environmental Service Providers Association to clear the outstanding arrears.
“We understand the pressure these companies are facing, but we also want to assure Ghanaians that the government is not resting on this matter. We are working around the clock to ensure that services continue uninterrupted,” the Minister stated.
He further appealed to ESPA members to exercise patience and goodwill, emphasizing that dialogue and collaboration remain the best means to achieve sustainable solutions.
Touching on the National Sanitation Day initiative, Mr Ibrahim expressed satisfaction with the progress made in improving sanitation in several parts of the country since the re-launch of the campaign by President John Dramani Mahama earlier this year.
“We are beginning to see significant improvements in sanitation levels in some major towns and cities. The public response has been encouraging, and we will continue to sustain this momentum,” he said.
The Deputy Minister, Rita Odoley Sowah, also urged the public to support the government’s sanitation drive by actively participating in clean-up exercises and properly disposing of waste.
“Keeping our environment clean is a shared responsibility. Government can only do so much it takes collective effort from every citizen to ensure a cleaner, healthier Ghana,” she stressed.
The Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA) is a coalition of private waste management companies that partner with government and local assemblies to manage solid waste nationwide.
In recent years, members have complained of severe financial distress due to unpaid government arrears for services rendered, threatening the sustainability of Ghana’s waste management system.
If the planned strike takes effect, industry watchers fear it could lead to piles of uncollected waste, posing serious environmental and public health risks across the country.
Source:Lovinghananews.com
