Speaking at a National Sanitation Day exercise in Accra to commemorate World Cleanup Day, Mr Ayariga said the directive covers metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, with priority areas including Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi and other regional capitals.
He said the government would construct transfer stations at the metropolitan, municipal and district levels as part of efforts to address challenges with waste collection and disposal.
He also directed MMDCEs in Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi and Sekondi-Takoradi to identify suitable sites for the construction of properly engineered landfill facilities.
“I am using this platform to announce to every metropolitan and municipal chief executive: I’m giving you 30 days to present to me a one-acre land in your metropolis, your municipality and your district because government is going to construct transfer stations in every metropolitan assembly, every district assembly, every municipal assembly.
“I’m also directing the MMDCEs in Greater Accra, in Greater Kumasi, and Sekondi-Takoradi to also identify sites for us to construct landfill sites so that we can easily dispose of the waste,” he said.
According to him, the country’s waste management challenges are partly due to inadequate infrastructure, including waste bins, trucks, transfer stations and properly managed landfill sites.
“The reason why we have a major challenge with waste management in this country is that we don’t even have the infrastructure. We don’t have the waste bins. We don’t have enough tricycles to carry the waste from the communities to transfer stations. We don’t even have the transfer stations. And worse still, we don’t even have enough landfill sites.
“And the landfill sites we have are not properly engineered, and they are not properly managed. And in this 21st century, it is embarrassing that a country like Ghana, a leading country in sub-Saharan Africa, basic things, such as transfer stations, landfill sites, collection bins, basic, basic things, that we don’t have them,” he said
He said the government’s approach to waste management would focus on establishing an effective and efficient system in line with President John Dramani Mahama’s directive.
“My period in office is going to be characterised by ensuring, as directed by President John Dramani Mahama, that we develop an effective and efficient waste management system,” he said.
Mr Ayariga said the government would also replace the current open-bucket waste collection system with floating waste bins to improve waste collection and reduce the burden on sanitation workers.
“We will not allow you to carry waste in open buckets,” he said.
He further disclosed that he would engage the Finance Minister, Dr Ato Forson, to explore ways of reducing unnecessary public expenditure and redirecting savings towards critical sectors such as waste management.
Mr Ayariga said reducing unnecessary official travel and other public expenditure could create fiscal space for investment in waste management infrastructure.
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