By Yussif Ibrahim, GNA
Kumasi, April 10, GNA – The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has warned of a looming waste management crisis that can severely disrupt sanitation across the Greater Kumasi area if urgent interventions are not implemented.
According to the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr. Richard Ofori-Agyemang Boadi, the city’s only final disposal site is nearing capacity and could be forced to shut down within the next three months if immediate steps were not taken.
He explained at a press briefing in Kumasi that, such a shutdown would leave several assemblies within the Greater Kumasi enclave without a designated place to dump refuse, raising the risk of widespread filth, public health threats, and environmental degradation.
According to him, the disposal site currently handled waste from about 13 assemblies, placing enormous pressure on KMA’s limited financial and logistical resources.
“The volume of waste being transported to the site has exceeded manageable levels, going beyond thousands of tonnes daily,” he said, stressing that the Assembly lacked the financial capacity to expand operations without external support.
He noted that, failure to construct additional landfill cells, estimated to cost about six million euros, would make it impossible to sustain operations at the site beyond the short term.
The situation, he cautioned, could result in refuse piling up across the city, particularly in the Central Business District, if alternative arrangements were not made.
Mr. Boadi indicated that operational challenges at the landfill, including broken-down equipment and access difficulties during heavy rains, had already contributed to delays in waste evacuation, as witnessed earlier this week.
He added that waste management efforts were further constrained by financial arrears owed to key service providers, including waste treatment operators and landfill managers, affecting their ability to function efficiently.
The Assembly also revealed that a major waste treatment facility under the Kumasi Compost and Recycling Plant (KCARP) had halted operations due to unpaid debts and power supply disconnection, limiting the city’s capacity to process waste.
If the plant resumes full operation, it could process up to 3,000 tonnes of waste daily, significantly easing pressure on the landfill, he said.
In the absence of immediate intervention, Mr. Boadi warned that Kumasi could experience a sanitation emergency, with potential outbreaks of diseases linked to poor waste disposal practices.
To mitigate the situation in the interim, the KMA has introduced strict measures, including a ban on indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the Central Business District and other public spaces.
He said offenders would face prosecution, adding that residents who assisted in apprehending violators could receive part of the fines imposed.
The Assembly is also deploying additional large-capacity waste bins and dedicated collection of vehicles to improve waste handling within the city.
Mr. Boadi appealed to residents and the media to support ongoing efforts by promoting responsible waste disposal practices, emphasising that collective action was critical to preventing the situation from deteriorating further.
GNA
Edited by Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/Linda Asante Agyei