Not all MMDCEs can provide lands

Dear Editor,

I am writing to state my opinion on the recent directive by the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to make land available within their respective areas for the construction of waste transfer stations across the country.

The MMDCEs are expected to carry out the directive within 30 days as the government aims to improve solid waste management.

From where I stand, I feel it is a very good move, but my only concern is whether all the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies can meet this directive.

Clearly, some assemblies are small in size, with every available space already occupied by existing facilities.

The siting of these facilities must also not be too close to human settlements.

This is important because, if care is not taken, a decision to solve a major problem could result in another issue, such as a disease outbreak, due to the proximity of the facility to residential areas.

In implementing this directive, we must not revisit the era when people woke up to find huge rubbish containers behind their walls and buildings.

I also wish to add that, in solving the waste problem, the government could take a second look at the operations of private waste collectors using improvised vehicles (Aboboyaa).

Their operations have two sides. They help communities by collecting heaps of rubbish left behind due to the failure of registered waste collection companies to provide adequate services.

However, these operators also contribute to littering in communities as rubbish falls from their overloaded vehicles onto the ground.

Perhaps the government could consider providing them with better vehicles to enable them to do their work more effectively and complement the efforts of established waste collection companies.

Mercy Agyemang, Labone

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