The Parliamentary Select Committee on Sanitation and Environment is set to engage the Minister for Local Government to ensure that local bye-laws are gazetted.
This move will aim to enforce sanitation and environmental regulations and prosecute offenders.
According to the Committee Chairman, Mr. John Oti Bless, the lack of gazetted bye-laws in most district assemblies has hindered enforcement.
“We will engage the Minister for Local Government to help address this. When people dump refuse indiscriminately, they must be held accountable,” Mr. Bless stated. He cited Rwanda as an example of a country with strict enforcement of bylaws, resulting in a clean and orderly environment,” he said.
The committee made this observation during a tour of Zoomlion’s Accra Compost and Recycling Plant (ACARP), a subsidiary of Jospong Group of Companies (JGC), and Sewerage Systems Ghana Limited’s state-of-the-art waste treatment facilities in Accra on April 23, 2025.
Mr. Oti Bless indicated that public behaviour was another critical issue regarding sanitation, adding that the media’s role in supporting nationwide public education campaigns would be crucial.
Responding to a question on the Sanitation and Pollution Levy, he said the levy is currently integrated into oil revenue to clear energy sector debts, but added that this arrangement should not be permanent.
Sanitation, he pointed out, is a daily necessity requiring a dedicated source of funding.
“Without it, we will keep facing the same problems—and even spend more on healthcare due to diseases like cholera,” he warned.
“As a committee, we will advocate a dedicated sanitation fund. If 40 pesewas is being raised through the levy, 20 pesewas should go to sanitation while the other 20 goes to energy. This will bring real change. With prompt payments, service providers can be held accountable for performance,” the chairman stressed.
While expressing satisfaction with the level of investment that Zoomlion has sunk into its companies and capacity base, Mr. Oti Bless indicated that there were sanitation issues on the ground.
“The current challenge lies on the ground. We want to see stronger action where it matters most—in the streets and communities. Last week, when we toured some areas in the Accra Metropolis, we identified many issues that need urgent attention. While today’s presentation has convinced us that the capacity exists—perhaps up to 50%—the major constraint is funding,” he stated.
Against this backdrop, Mr. Oti Bless assured Zoomlion of the government settling its indebtedness to the company. He wondered how a company can function effectively without resources.
“We just visited one of his [making reference to Dr. Siaw Agyepong, the Executive Chairman of JGC] warehouses, where we saw a large number of imported tricycles meant for district assemblies. Unfortunately, he hasn’t received payments from the government for the past two years. How can a company function effectively without resources?” he quizzed.
For his part, the Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, urged the committee to support Zoomlion by ensuring that sanitation and environmental bye-laws are implemented and offenders prosecuted.
“What we do here goes beyond just cleaning. We are tackling cholera, environmental issues, and even tourism-related concerns, all while improving public health and sanitation infrastructure,” he noted.
He lamented the lack of adequate incentives and support for the vital work being done in this sector. “The work we do often lacks the recognition it deserves, which is quite discouraging,” he expressed, requesting the committee’s assistance with taxes imposed on essential equipment.
With the right support, Dr. Agyepong asserted that Zoomlion can do even more for the country.
“Your support can help us do even more for the country,” he noted. The committee later toured waste and liquid treatment facilities of SSGL which included the Lavender Hill and Mudor Faecal Treatment Plant.
Story By: Dennis Ato Keelson
