News
Godfred Abayateye, expert in ‘human waste’ disposal
Godfred Abayateye inspecting a truck after collecting human waste to ensure there is no spillage
One of the common questions people ask when they meet a new person is his profession.
Usually, when people have ‘prestigious’ jobs, they are quick to respond. They are usually the first to mention their professions in a conversation and then ask others about theirs.
For Godfred Abayateye, a toilet waste truck driver whose job basically entails collecting and disposing of human excreta, one could have imagined the discomfort with such a question. But, interestingly, he is not embarrassed at all about the job he does.
He said, the fact that his wife was very proud of him and appreciated him for his ability to shoulder their responsibilities as a husband and father that serves as a major source of motivation for him.
In an interview with The Spectator last week about his life and job, the resident of Ashaiman disclosed that he had been in the business of going to homes and premises of businesses to collect their waste for 12 years.
“There are no regrets for being someone who collects and disposes human waste of hundreds of people on daily basis.”
He said on a good day, he was able to serve four clients but when business goes slow, he struggles to get a single client. “In all honesty, I think it’s a good job which I’ll would recommend to anyone willing to join.”
Mr Abayateye who is in his 40s said he was in the business not just to make money but also keep the public clean.
He said although people disrespected them and liked to treat them without dignity, he was not perturbed.
He mentioned instances where clients even avoided talking to them when they went to their homes to offer their services because in their minds, the “toilet man” is not clean.
The father of four said some of their clients looked at them with contempt and would not even allow them to use their buckets to fetch water to help the process.
“These are the people who fails to appreciate that without us, their health can be compromised.”
In his view, persons in the waste business helped to curb open defecation, prevents diarrhoea and other health issues.
He said he was always happy to wake up to a new day of going round to take waste from people’s homes because he was able to give his children education and pay his bills to give his family a decent life.
He shared a joke about how some road users tried to avoid them on the road for fear of the collected waste spilling on them, the road or on their cars.
He said he tried ensuring that all the parts of the vehicle which could be used as a point of entry was well secured to prevent any air pollution or inconvenience to the public but reduce the danger to its barest minimum.
Mr Abayateye appealed to the government to prioritise sites for disposal of such waste to make the job more attractive and also keep the environment safe.
He also appealed on authorities to grant a subsidy on the cost of toilet waste trucks to attract more people into the profession to reduce the unemployment rate.
From Dzifa Tetteh Tay, Ashaiman
News
Criminal and Seditious Libel Law was repealed in 2001 yet we still face harassment – NPP
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has criticised the government for what it calls a return to the “culture of silence” in Ghana, despite the repeal of the Criminal and Seditious Libel Law more than two decades ago.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday, the party said the arrest and detention of its Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, also known as Abronye, for allegedly insulting the Inspector General of Police (IGP) was the latest sign of political intimidation.
According to the NPP, eight months into President John Dramani Mahama’s administration, state security had been “weaponised” not to fight illegal mining or protect citizens, but to intimidate and punish dissenting voices.
The party said insecurity in areas such as Bawku, Nkwanta and Gbeniyiri in the Savannah Region had claimed more than 32 lives and displaced over 50,000 people, yet the police and national security were more focused on arresting opposition supporters and social media users for their posts.
The NPP noted that Ghana abolished the Criminal and Seditious Libel Law in 2001 under President John Agyekum Kufuor to protect free speech and media freedoms.
It described the recent arrests of opposition members as an erosion of those democratic gains.
The party said it did not condone insults or vulgar language in public discourse but stressed that anyone who felt defamed should seek redress through civil defamation suits, not criminal prosecution.
It also accused the government of undermining the judiciary by “weaponising” it against political opponents, citing the removal of the Chief Justice.
“The growing climate of intimidation and criminalisation of speech is a serious assault on Ghana’s democracy,” the statement signed by NPP General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong said.
The NPP called on all Ghanaians to resist what it described as a return to tyranny and pledged to roll out a series of actions to protect the country’s democratic gains.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
NIA opens Premium Centres to register children
The National Identification Authority (NIA) has started registering Ghanaian children aged between six and 14 years at all its Premium Centres across the country.
The Authority says the exercise is part of its duty to register every Ghanaian, both at home and abroad, so that all citizens can have a secure and verifiable national identity.
It explained in a statement issued today that the registration will help build a complete and inclusive National Identity Register (NIR) that captures every Ghanaian from childhood.
According to the NIA, the fee for first-time registration at Premium Centres is GHS 310, which is the approved charge for premium services.
The Authority said the requirements are the same as for applicants aged 15 years and above.
It affirmed that Parents or legal guardians were required to present either a valid Ghanaian passport of the child, the original copy of the child’s birth certificate, or be a Ghana Card holder who can vouch for the child.
The NIA also announced that from Monday, September 15, 2025, its online registration and booking system will be extended to the remaining 11 Premium Centres nationwide.
This it said will allow parents and guardians to schedule appointments more conveniently and avoid delays at the centres.
It further stated that information on the issuance of Ghana Cards for children aged six to 14 years who had already registered will be shared later.
In the coming weeks, the Authority plans to extend this registration service to all NIA District Offices to make it easier for more people to access the service.
By: Jacob Aggrey
