The Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA) has restated its resolve to tackle Ghana’s persistent sanitation challenges, declaring that the private sector is ready to deliver but needs urgent government support and a shift in public attitude to win the fight against waste and disease.
Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, ESPA President, said the association remains “committed to serving with our experience” and views itself as a strategic partner to government in achieving sustainable waste management and public health outcomes.
ESPA is the umbrella body of private waste management companies working under Public-Private Partnership agreements with Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) across Ghana. Its members handle solid waste, liquid waste, faecal sludge treatment, landfill management, and sewerage systems nationwide. It operates in line with the government’s policy of maintaining a clean and healthy environment for all citizens.
Dr. Siaw Agyepong, who is the Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies, stated at a high-level stakeholder dialogue on landfill and waste management in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area.
The dialogue, held on Monday, June 8th, 2026 was on the theme “Strengthening Final Disposal Site Operations and Sustainable Solid Waste Management Infrastructure in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Region.”
He expressed concern that, despite proven capacity, many companies are unable to deliver optimally because of unpaid government debts, adding that the financial strain forces members to rely heavily on bank loans and overdraft facilities with high interest rates just to keep operations running.
“Majority of us also depend on overdraft facilities for our operations with their consequential high interest rates,” he lamented at the Accra Dialogue organized by the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs in collaboration with the Jospong Group of Companies.
It was attended by representatives of 26 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDA) in the region; government officials; Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA) members; chief executives; and representatives of waste management companies, waste landfills, Borla taxis, and tricycle associations.
It also included officials of the environmental protection authority and the Ministry of Finance; NGOs, volunteer groups, and community-based organizations; sanitation experts; private sector operators; and stakeholders in the sector.
Dr. Siaw Agyepong also appealed to the government to waive taxes on the importation of sanitation machinery and argued that tax relief would enable private companies to acquire modern equipment, expand services, and keep the country clean at a lower cost to the public purse.
The Jospong Group Executive Chairman stressed that inadequate funding and poor revenue collection remain major obstacles to effective monitoring and service delivery.
He also issued a rallying call to the media and the general public: “It is the duty and responsibility of every Ghanaian to keep our environments clean to ensure good sanitation and prevent the outbreak of diseases to promote public and environmental health.”
He urged the media to intensify education and advocacy against the indiscriminate dumping of refuse, stating, “Without the media, the efforts of ESPA and the government would not be recognized.”
Dr. Siaw Agyepong recounted that before Zoomlion’s emergence in 2006, waste collection was largely informal, cities were overwhelmed by filth, drains were choked, and cholera outbreaks were annual.
“Through mechanized sweeping, waste segregation, recycling plants, and waste-to-energy projects, ESPA members have improved urban management and health outcomes,” he indicated.
Dr. Siaw Agyepong said ESPA welcomes suggestions, strategies, and long-term plans from stakeholders and Ghanaians to promote proper sanitation management.
He emphasized that waste management players believe that sustained progress requires three things: timely payment of debts; policy incentives like tax waivers on equipment; and active participation from government, the media, and every citizen.
Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim, Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, reaffirmed the government’s commitment and stressed that the journey toward sustainable solid waste management is undoubtedly long, but it is one that becomes achievable when all stakeholders move in the same direction with a shared sense of purpose.
“I wish to assure all service providers and stakeholders that government remains committed to constructive engagement, policy support, and collaborative problem-solving.
“We have heard clearly service providers, especially the Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA) concerns on delayed payments, and it is receiving the needed attention,” Mr Ibrahim stated.
The Minister expressed optimism that the GAMA sanitation dialogue would lead to the development of practical recommendations, bold ideas, and actionable solutions that will help address the longstanding challenges confronting final disposal site operations and sustainable solid waste management infrastructure in the Greater Accra Metro Area.
He emphasized that the ministry would study the outcome of the GAMA Sanitation Dialogue, adding, “What happens after dialogue will be even more important than what is said during.
“Success of this dialogue will definitely be measured by the actions implemented, the partnerships strengthened, the infrastructure developed, and the improvements experienced by residents across the Greater Accra Metro Area.”
The participants talked about different topics, such as how full the landfills are and the problems they face; what needs to be done in the sector and how to pay for it; what actions are needed before the rainy season; how to follow environmental rules and ensure sustainability; planning for long-term infrastructure and investment; and ways to recover resources and reduce waste.
ESPA Greater Accra regional members include Alliance Waste, Aryeetey Brothers Company Limited, Acquie Waste, Asadu Royal Waste, Catrol Company Limited, Daben Cleansing, Dominion Waste, Gee Waste, J Stanley-Owusu Company Limited, Liberty Waste Services, and Metropolitan Waste and Allied Services.
Others are Tidyup Ghana Ltd., Tropical Waste, Tankase Waste, Yafuru Enterprise, Forte Waste Ltd., Meskworld Co. Ltd., Jekora Ventures, Zoomlion Domestic, Platinum Municipal, Rural Waste Services Ltd., and Zoomlion Ghana Limited across the regions of Ghana.
The rest are Amanea Waste, Alliance Waste Ltd., Ataliz Limited, Chariscom, Cagec, City Top, Environmental Waste, Divine Unity Company Ltd., Honest Waste, J&K, Jamoky B. Ventures, Bright Waste, Kumbo Star, Mashallahu Waste, Nabmok Services, Nuruford Waste, Xdof Waste, and Young Tiger.
Companies operating in Tema Amanea Waste, Asadu Royal Waste, Asibod Company Ltd., J. Stanley Owusu Co. Ltd., Meridian Waste, Rural Waste Services Ltd., Teriwhite Co. Ltd., and Gamma Betta Waste Services.
