News
ESPA demands payment of arrears or threatens nationwide shutdown
The Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA) has appealed to government to immediately pay all outstanding arrears owed to waste management contractors by November 7, 2025, or risk a total shutdown of sanitation services across the country.
The Association in a presser warned that if the government fails to release the funds by the deadline, its members may be forced to suspend operations nationwide.
According to ESPA, such an action could lead to a national sanitation and health crisis, with possible outbreaks of diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and malaria.
The group explained that the non-payment of arrears has left many waste management companies struggling to operate, making it difficult to pay workers, maintain equipment, or sustain daily waste collection activities.
ESPA equally called on the Ministry of Finance to urgently release all pending payments to its members to prevent a breakdown in sanitation services.
The Association also wants government to review the current policy on the national sanitation and pollution levy.
According to ESPA, the levy should be restructured into a dedicated fund to support and sustain waste management operations across the country.
The Association noted that for years, the sector has operated without a clear and consistent budgetary allocation, leaving its financial sustainability at risk.
ESPA warned that if these issues were not addressed immediately, service disruptions could occur, endangering public health and the environment.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Thomas Partey, Ransford Yeboah Königsdörffer, Kojo Oppong Peprah, and Alexander Djiku trained with the Black Stars on Tuesday, March 23 as preparations intensify for the international friendly against Austria on Friday.
The newly arrived players—Partey, Königsdörffer, Oppong Peprah and Djiku—joined the group training Tuesday afternoon in readiness for the match.
Partey and Djiku bring valuable experience and dexterity to the team, having played a major role in securing Ghana a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, Canada, and the United States of America.
All 25 players participated in Tuesday’s training session, each aiming to catch the eye of head coach Otto Addo.
The full squad present at training included Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Benjamin Asare, Joseph Anang, Patrick Pfeiffer, Derrick Luckassen, Derrick Kohn, Jerome Opoku, Caleb Yirenkyi, Kojo Oppong Peprah, Jonas Adjetey, Marvin Senaya, Gideon Mensah, Elisha Owusu, Ibrahim Sulemana, Kwasi Sibo, Jordan Ayew, Prince Kwabena Adu, Christopher Bonsu Baah, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Antoine Semenyo, Kamal Deen Sulemana, Daniel Agyei, Thomas Partey, Alexander Djiku, and Ransford Yeboah Königsdörffer.
Training will continue on Wednesday and Thursday ahead of the match on Friday, March 27, 2026.
The Kadjebi District Police Command, through a sustained intelligence-led operation, has arrested a suspect, Chalim Madzaton, also known as Peter Tano, 36, a farmer.
He was apprehended at his hideout in Kpaya, a suburb of Ahamansu, in connection with the murder of 80-year-old Dakolor Semaka.
On March 24, 2026, police received a report that the suspect had allegedly attacked his girlfriend, Yaa Tugbenyo, 55, and her mother, the deceased, at their residence in Mangoase near Kadjebi During the incident, Yaa Tugbenyo managed to escape but later returned to find her mother lying motionless on the floor.
Police Officers visited the scene and found the body of the deceased lying in a supine positior with isible signs of violence.
The scene was processed, and photographs were taken for evidential purpose.
The deceased was pronounced dead by a medical officer at St. Mary Theresa Hospital and the body has since been deposited at the hospital’s morgue for preservation and autopsy.
The suspect is currently in Police custody assisting with investigations and will be arraigned before court.
