ESPA Urges Government to Settle Outstanding Arrears

  


The Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA) has issued a stern ultimatum to the Government of Ghana, demanding the immediate release of all outstanding payments owed to waste management contractors by November 7, 2025, or face a nationwide suspension of waste collection services.
Addressing a press conference in Accra, the Executive Secretary of ESPA, Ama Ofori Antwi, warned that the nation’s waste management sector is on the brink of collapse due to crippling debts, delayed payments, and escalating operational costs.
According to her, the continued failure of the government to settle arrears owed to contractors threatens to trigger a major sanitation and public health crisis, with the potential spread of diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and malaria.
ESPA noted that private waste operators are burdened by unrealistic fees set by Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs), which fail to reflect the true cost of service delivery. In addition, deteriorating landfill sites, rising fuel and electricity prices, and unpaid invoices have compounded the financial strain on the sector.
“Many of our members who took loans to sustain operations are now facing legal threats from creditors. Without immediate government intervention, some treatment and landfill facilities may shut down,” the statement cautioned.
The association is therefore demanding:
Immediate payment of arrears by the Ministry of Finance by November 7, 2025.
A review of the Sanitation and Pollution Levy to create a dedicated fund for waste management.
A fair adjustment of cost recovery rates by MMDAs.
While commending President John Dramani Mahama’s ‘Resetting Agenda’ for sanitation and environmental renewal, ESPA stressed that practical financial action is urgently needed to sustain the waste management system.
“Without decisive intervention, Ghana risks reversing years of progress in sanitation, losing jobs, and endangering public health,” the association concluded.

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