Waste Management Groups Laud Sanitation Levy

Listen to this article Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Some waste management groups have lauded the government for introducing the Sanitation and Pollution Levy as they say the cost of segregating household waste is increasingly becoming unbearable.

Decrying the situation, the Head of Process Engineering at Sewage Systems Ghana Limited, Engineer Eric Amoafo Sarkodie said used condoms, aborted babies, plastics among other waste are found in septic tanks costing the company not less than GHS20,000 to dispose of.

Though cross-sections of Ghanaians seem against the tax, Mr. Sarkodie is hopeful of its prospects.

“If you generate your waste, you must pay for it. The polluter pay system must work. Not that somebody must pay for the waste that you are generating.”

“Most of the time, our machines are overwhelmed and because of the waste and the breakdown and the rest, we have to replace our machines, the pumps and the rest, so it is having a great impact on us.”

“It is increasing our cost of production, so I think if we are billed to pay, I think I support it,” Mr. Sarkodie said to Citi News.

The government stressed the need for critical investments in the sanitation sector via the proposed levy which will be on petroleum products.

The levy is for 10 pesewas on the price per litre of petrol/diesel under the Energy Sector Levies Act (ESLA).

Among others, the government wants to support the fumigation of public spaces, schools, health centres and markets; revamp or reconstruct poorly managed landfill facilities and construct more waste treatment plants both solid and liquid in selected locations across the country.

By: citinewsroom