Features
From waste to wealth: A practical plan for a circular Ghana
After a heavy rain in Accra, the story Ghana repeats itself is easy to see. Drains overflow, streets turn into streams, and families are forced to wade through waist-deep, dirty water. When the floods finally recede, they leave behind more than just mud; they leave a tangled net of sachet wrappers, takeaway packs, and plastic bags that trap our neighbourhoods.
At the same time, in our homes and markets, piles of cassava peels and spoiled fruits rot in open bins, attracting pests and emitting foul odours. This is not just a nuisance; it is a national economic failure. The plastic blocking our drains and the organic matter that could restore our soils are both being treated as rubbish when they should be treated as resources.
Ghana is at a crossroads. We can continue the “take–make–waste” culture that floods our neighbourhoods, damages public health, and drains local government budgets. Or we can choose a practical, Ghana-ready circular approach: reduce plastics at the source, collect what remains efficiently, and separate organic waste so it becomes compost and bio fertiliser for farming. If Ghana harmonises plastic reduction with urban nutrient cycling, we can solve two national problems with one coordinated system cleaner cities and stronger food security.
The unseen link between plastics, floods, and food prices
Plastic pollution is often framed as an environmental issue. But in Ghana, it is also an infrastructure and public health problem. When drains are choked, flooding damages property, disrupts business, spreads disease, and increases the cost of city management. Assemblies spend scarce resources on emergency desilting and clean-up money that could have improved sanitation systems permanently. But the link does not end there. Our waste crisis is now feeding our food crisis.
Most of what Ghana throws away is not plastic. A large fraction is organic waste biodegradable material that should never be mixed with plastics in the first place. When organics and plastics are mixed in the same bins and the same trucks, everything becomes “dirty”: plastics are harder to recycle and organic matter becomes contaminated and unusable for compost. The result is a lose–lose system where nothing returns to productive use.
This matters because Ghana’s soils are tired. Farmers across the country complain about declining fertility and rising fertiliser costs. If our cities were capturing organic waste cleanly and converting it into high-quality compost or bio fertiliser, that material could return to farms as soil amendment improving yields, reducing dependence on imported inputs, and strengthening resilience. In other words, the waste we bury today is the fertility we import tomorrow.
Why the current approach keeps failing
Ghana’s waste system is still largely designed for “collection and disposal,” not “collection and recovery.” That is why, even when clean-up campaigns happen, the problem returns quickly. We are treating symptoms, not the system. Three structural failures keep recycling and composting from scaling:
1) We do not separate waste at the source: once plastics, food waste, and other refuse are mixed together, it is expensive and often unsafe to sort
2) We have weak accountability for packaging; plastic producers and major distributors profit from packaging, but the cost of cleanup is left mostly to assemblies and taxpayers. That imbalance is unsustainable.
3) We don’t link waste recovery to strong end-markets: recycling and composting only survive when there is steady demand: manufacturers buying recycled plastics and farmers or institutions buying compost. Without guaranteed markets, recovery systems collapse.
The good news is that these failures are not destiny. They are policy choices and can be corrected. To make this real, Ghana must adopt a practical two-stream approach:
- Stream 1: Dry recyclables (plastics, metals, cartons)
- Stream 2: Organic waste (food and green waste for composting)
This separation is the bridge that connects plastic reduction to nutrient cycling. When organics are kept separate, compost becomes cleaner and safer. When dry recyclables are not soaked in rot and liquids, recycling capture becomes easier and more profitable.
A Five-Point Policy Package
1. Make Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) real
Producers and major importers of plastic packaging must help fund its collection and recovery. This is not punishment; it is responsibility. EPR should require: registration of major packaging producers/importers, clear recovery targets, audited reporting, and a ring-fenced fund that supports collection, sorting, and recycling infrastructure. When producers share the cost, assemblies are less overwhelmed and recovery systems become financially viable.
2. Launch citywide source separation starting with pilots that actually scale.
Assemblies should begin with high-impact zones: markets, institutions, and dense neighbourhoods. Keep it simple: two bins (dry recyclables and organics), predictable collection days, community education in local languages, enforcement that is fair and gradual (warnings first, then penalties). The aim is not to punish households; it is to create a new normal that makes sorting easy and consistent.
3. Build composting and bio fertiliser capacity and guarantee offtake to agriculture.
Separation only matters if there is a destination. Ghana should invest in: municipal composting hubs, private compost enterprises, and quality standards to protect farmers from contaminated products. Most importantly, link compost to demand. Government agriculture programmes, district assemblies, and farmer cooperatives can create an offtake market so compost plants do not die from lack of buyers. This is where waste policy and food policy meet.
4. Integrate the informal sector properly because they are already doing the work.
Waste pickers and informal collectors are not a problem; they are part of the solution. Any serious circular strategy must include: contracts or cooperative arrangements, PPE and basic health protections, fair pricing systems at sorting centres, and training on safe handling. If we ignore the informal sector, we lose capacity. If we formalise them without respect, we create conflict. Integration must be practical and dignified.
5. Use public procurement and incentives to grow circular markets.
Circular systems need buyers. Government can help by: prioritising products made with recycled content where feasible, supporting local manufacturing of recycled plastic items (pipes, bins, furniture), providing tax incentives or concessional financing for recycling/composting businesses, and rewarding compliance and innovation instead of only punishing failure.
Final Statement
Ghana’s waste crisis is not only about litter; it is about lost opportunity. Plastic can be recovered. Organic waste can be composted. Jobs can be created across collection, sorting, processing, logistics, and retail. Assemblies can spend less on emergency clean-up and more on permanent sanitation. Farmers can access local soil amendments and reduce vulnerability to imported input shocks. But none of this happens by accident. It requires alignment: environmental regulation, local government action, private sector investment, and agricultural offtake all moving in the same direction. We do not need more sympathy speeches after floods. We need systems that prevent the next flood, reduce the next disease outbreak, and rebuild the next harvest. A circular Ghana is not a dream. It is a decision.
By Lawrencia Yeboah-Duah
There was quite a decent crowd at the Beach Club. The boys were already seated, and two waiters were standing by them, taking their orders. We also placed ours, and joined the conversation after introductions. ‘
So madam’, I said as I turned towards Kwakyewaa, ‘What are you studying in France?’ ‘Actually, I just completed my Diploma in Building Decoration. I studied Land Economy at KNUST, and whilst on a visit to France I met a school mate who was studying in a Design School, and after some discussions I also enrolled on the course’.
‘That is very interesting. So what aspects of building design did you cover?’
‘Well, naturally I studied some general aspects of buildings, then I concentrated on the fittings and other things that make them look nice’.
‘Very interesting. Perhaps you can give me a few interesting design ideas. When are you going back?’ ‘In two weeks. I need to go and find a job’.
‘I will need to talk with you at some length, before you leave’.
‘I didn’t know you were into buildings. First I learned that you were into agriculture, but yesterday Esaaba said you were rather into development work in the north’.
‘Esaaba is very correct. I have been in development work in the north for three years. But I need to discuss a building project I’m doing in Accra’.
‘Anytime. I will be very ready to help’.
After quite a bit of dancing, we decided to call it a night, and I took off with the two ladies for the ride home. ‘David’, Esaaba said, ‘thanks for a wonderful evening. What a lovely place’.
‘Yes indeed’, Kwakyewaa said. ‘Nice place, nice band, and beautiful environment. Many thanks, David’. ‘If you have really enjoyed it as you say, then let’s do it again’.
‘We promise!’ the two ladies said as if on cue, and broke into laughter.
‘David, when do you want to have the discussion you mentioned?’
‘Anytime convenient to you. How about lunchtime on Monday? I can pick you up around eleven-thirty’. ‘It is fine. I don’t have anything planned for Monday. I will be looking forward to it’.
‘I got to the house on Monday as planned, and was about to step out of the car when Kwakyewaa came out, followed by Esaaba’. ‘Esaaba’, I said, ‘I thought you would be at work at the pharmacy at this time’. ‘I should, but I stayed home to do a report for our head office. I am on my way now. I will get off at the roundabout’. ‘I will drop you at the office, but before that, you are joining us for lunch’.
‘Okay Bernard. No objection’.
‘Now, Esaaba, I need to mention this. Has Abena informed you that our relationship is over?’
‘She hasn’t told me in black and white, but I get that impression from her body language and some of her utterances. For example, I was surprised that she was going out last Friday with Jennifer when you came to the house. You had been out of town for a while, and I thought she would want to spend time with you’.
‘We haven’t sat down to discuss this, but as you said, her utterances and body language were a little unusual, but I now have confirmation that she is seeing someone.
Quite a number of people have seen them together, and she used to ask me some funny questions about my work. I hear she has been saying that I am not doing any development work, but I’m rather an agricultural extension officer, and that she has met a wealthy person who can take care of her. She’s free to believe or say anything she likes, so I won’t bother to discuss it with her. I think she would prefer that.
‘I’m surprised she hasn’t said anything to us. Perhaps she believes that because of our relationship with you, we would not approve’.
‘Maybe, but it’s her life. She’s free to do what she wants. But she can’t stop me from coming to spend time with you guys’
I dropped Esaaba at work, and drove to the office. Kwakyewa greeted Eva and Robert, and after offering her a seat, I introduced them. ‘Now Kwakyewaa’, after my B.Sc. Economics degree I did an MA in Project Management, and got a job as Project Manager with the EU, based in the north. It has been a very enjoyable job, and fortunately well paid. Soon as I started, my mentor advised me to find some run down or uncompleted buildings in prime areas, buy them and, after fixing them up, put them up for sale.
I have done several, and I have now bought a block of six houses. I have just started the process of fixing them. Now, I would like you to take a look at the block, and offer me some advice. First, take a look at these documents’. I opened a page on my laptop and placed it in front of her.
‘Wow, this is very interesting. You know, I did similar work for a firm in France. When can we go to the site?’ ‘Right now. Eva, would you like to join us? I know Robert is expecting some visitors.’
We spent over two hours at the site, with Eva and I, offering answers to her numerous questions. Finally, we arrived back at the office. ‘This is really exciting, and very impressive. I would like to make some suggestions, on design, painting, and landscape’. ‘You start work tomorrow. Eva or Robert will pick you up, and drop you after work’.
‘Okay. I will try to do as much as I can before I leave’.
‘You are assuming that I will allow you to leave in two weeks?’ She broke into great laughter. ‘Shall we get a drink before I drop you?’ ‘Of course. Let’s talk in some detail about the project. So you are a very big man. Does Abena know about this?’ ‘No. We had a good relationship until she started spending time with Jennifer. She changed completely, so I quickly lost interest’. ‘Maybe she would not have taken that decision if she really knew the kind of person you are’.
‘I think I gave her enough indication, but she is easily swayed by appearances. She and Jennifer were always talking about rich people, well dressed people, stuff like that. I resent that. I also like the good life, but I prefer a low profile’.
The body is the temple of God – THE HOLY BIBLE
WHEN it comes to this time of year, there is often great sexual excitement and people appear to be on heat. They start dreaming about female thighs, hot pairs of buttocks, slim sexy waists and voluptuous sensual bodies. When they sleep, they have wet dreams, and in the mornings they thank the gods of Larteh that when it comes to matters of the waist, they can also be counted.
The excitement is not for nothing. It is engendered by the wild expectation of another round of beauty contests from the regional level to the national level in order to separate the vultures from the crows. By the time it is all over rapists are super-charged because they have a low sexual boiling point; born-agains backslide and general male libido heightens.
Kofi Kokotako was just telling me that if a sexual temperature test is conducted at the next grand finale of the Miss Ghana contest for all males in the audience including the judges, it would be seen with much effort that 95 per cent or more of them would fail the test and be found with real stiffness between their thighs. It would all go to confirm the fact that the contest is not a decent one.
Kokotako who is now a man of God, once confessed to me that he got excited when the show was getting to fever-pitch with the girls showing their fleshly wares in bikini and swimsuits. Today, he is a Reverend and if he is fasting, you’ll think he is rather on hunger strike.
“The body is the temple of the Lord,” Kokotako preached to me last weekend. “People have since the beginning of time desecrated this temple of the Lord. Today moral degeneration is at an all-time low comparable to the days of Sodom and Gomorrah. People are indeed defiling the temple of the Lord. Women use their private parts to smuggle cocaine and weed; women expose their thighs and buttocks in the full glare of lustful males in the name of beauty contests or material gain, and some women actually hawk their bodies for cash. The Lord is aggrieved.”
I have never seen Kofi so emotional. When he told me he was going to be a Reverend, I laughed aloud. I thought it must be for the financial gain. But the man has really transformed, breaking his friendship with mahogany bitters, gin-and-lime, and preaching the word with vim and power.
Yet, if 30 per cent of Sikaman natives could change completely and become like Reverend Kofi Kokotako, Sikaman will turn to be the abode of angels.
And if all young girls could engage in a measure of reflection and contemplate issues concerning womanhood and refuse to be exploited, used, paraded semi-naked and virtually made fools just because of material gain, the world would be blessed and free from calamities. We are sinning too much with our bodies!
Some see beauty contests and people see it as entertainment. In another sense, it is a subtle form of societal officially endorsing and confirming that women are nothing more than sex objects and have been created just for the fun and pleasure of men. To prove this, they must be conned and paraded almost naked and in the process applauded or booed.
Those adjudged beautiful get weighty prizes and the ‘money no fine’ get pittance and told better luck next time. And they grin like baboons unknowing that they have been exploited, debased, cheapened and laughed at.
At the Beijing Conference, a group of hot-headed Japanese women demonstrated and organised press conferences to protest the exploitation of women under the guise of beauty contests during which they are portrayed as sex objects with no value apart from being ideal to be lusted after. Those who attended the conference came back with a different view about beauty pageants.
They should rise up against this idea of yearly beauty pageants which have debased womanhood to the extent that the beauty of a woman is no longer seen as sacred but a thing of no value.
And if this has been the case, why wouldn’t rapists also seek to claim their fair share since the whole human female is being cheaply advertised, under-invoiced and can literally be had at a discount?
I don’t really know, but I have the feeling that this beauty contest idea is fast losing popularity anyway. At the last Greater Accra regional contest, it was difficult getting contestants to participate. There was only one willing contestant and girls in the audience had to be cajoled, begged and virtually forced to participate when they didn’t want to.
Although the eventual beauty queen came from Greater Accra, I guess it was wrong for the organisers to have compelled people in the audience to participate. They must realise by the disinterest being shown that their annual programme is becoming unpopular and must be scraped, leaving the dance competition.
It is tragic that although it is becoming unpopular at the national level, it is catching on fast at the local level, though. Beauty contests are organized at end-of-year parties, funerals, graduation ceremonies, outdooring, KVIP commissioning ceremonies and birthday parties.
Some of these are organised decently with no buttocks palaver. If the organisers cannot organise the national contests in a similar way then, they better stop wasting the time of the girls, and desecrating their beauty and parading them as only good for sex and nothing else.
Are we tired of categorising God’s wonderful creation into sheep and goats, vultures and crows, the beautiful and the ugly?
Females should not allow themselves to be used in such indecent ways. They must have pride in womanhood and think first and foremost of their bodies as the holy temple of God which should not be defiled as in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah.
This article was first published on Saturday April 20, 1996
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