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ESPA demands payment of arrears or threatens nationwide shutdown
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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
Veteran Nigerian actor and African screen legend, Pete Edochie, has paid a courtesy call on the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi, during his visit to Ghana.
Edochie is in Ghana to launch the African Legacy Project, which includes a book, documentary film and an African Youth Mentorship Initiative targeting about 500,000 young people across the continent.
Mr. Gyamfi welcomed the opportunity for GoldBod to support the mentorship initiative, noting that it aligns with the Board’s Special Intervention Programme and its focus on social impact and economic empowerment.
GoldBod’s work is also referenced in Pete Edochie’s new book, which highlights Ghana’s efforts to ensure its gold resources contribute to national development.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has warned Ghanaians seeking employment in Zambia to be cautious of fraudulent job offers that could expose them to human trafficking and forced involvement in cybercrime.
The warning follows the arrest of six Ghanaians in Lusaka, Zambia, during a joint operation by the Zambia Police Service, the Drug Enforcement Commission and the Department of Immigration on August 23, 2026.
According to the Ministry, the operation targeted a facility suspected of being involved in organised cybercrime activities and led to the arrest of 79 people, including 10 Zambians and 69 foreign nationals.
The Ministry said six of the foreign nationals arrested were Ghanaians.
It explained that reports received by the Ghana High Commission in Lusaka indicated that some of those arrested had been recruited through what appeared to be legitimate employment opportunities, including online data entry jobs.
However, the Ministry said some were allegedly forced into online scam activities after their passports were confiscated by their employers.
It warned that the situation highlights how human trafficking groups are using fake employment opportunities to lure unsuspecting job seekers into illegal activities.
The Ministry has therefore advised Ghanaians travelling to Zambia or seeking employment there to thoroughly verify job offers, recruitment agencies and prospective employers before travelling.
Ghanaians living in Zambia have also been urged to remain vigilant when responding to online job opportunities and maintain regular contact with the Ghana High Commission in Lusaka for consular assistance when necessary.
The Ministry said the government remains committed to protecting the welfare and interests of Ghanaians travelling to or living outside the country.
By: Jacob Aggrey
