Skip to main content

TUC calls for effective waste management to ensure clean nation

 


The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has advised the government and local assemblies to recognise waste management as an essential service which is critical to efforts at improving sanitation and cleanliness in the country.

It has, therefore, asked for the welfare of waste management workers, including those in the informal sector, to be improved by providing them with the necessary protective clothing and equipment, as well as for them to be paid above the national minimum wage of GH¢365 to boost their morale.

Speaking at the C40’s Inclusive Climate Action Conference on social dialogue in Accra last Tuesday, the Director of Research and Policy at the TUC, Dr Kwabena Nyarko, said: “Many places in the country are filthy, but if you think deeply about it, you will find that the filth is linked to many of the health issues we have in this country.”

Endemic diseases, such as malaria, cholera and typhoid, are linked to filth, for which reason we must recognise and make waste management an essential service and ensure that workers are properly remunerated,” he added.

Participants at the conference included informal waste sector workers who were usually under-represented. They deliberated on ways in which they could participate in decision-making processes that affected their welfare.

The conference was organised by C40 Cities, in collaboration with the Green Africa Youth Organisation (GAYO), both non-profit entities, with the support of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).

The C40’s Cities Inclusive Climate Action programme aims at promoting collaboration between the AMA and informal sector waste workers for optimisation and climate resilience.

Exploitation

Dr Nyarko said in spite of the fact that metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies continued to give out lucrative waste management contracts to big companies, the condition of service of workers was nothing to write home about.

In most cases, these workers work without appropriate protective clothing and equipment, with some of them collecting waste with their bare hands.

“They do all of this and at the end of the day they receive pittance, some as low as GH¢200 a month, a stain on the status of the companies and owners they work for,” he added.

Important role

In a speech read on her behalf, the Chief Executive of the AMA, Elizabeth Sackey, said informal waste workers played an important role in waste management in the country.

Their work is important in improving sanitation in our communities and ultimately helping the city achieve its greenhouse emission reduction targets,” she said.

The Inclusive Climate Action City Advisor at C40 Cities, Josephine Agbeko, said waste optimisation through informal waste sector engagement was important to deliver the AMA's climate action plan.

It will ensure that the people who are usually under-represented but highly impacted by climate change and climate action in our communities are given the chance and the space to participate in decision-making processes,” she said.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Ghana Home Loans

With interest rates declining, a more liquid environment and a macroeconomic stability, mortgage financing is expected to see an ease of credit. And Ghana Home Loans being a leader in this industry is expected to lead the way. Ghana Home Loans (GHL), a leader in home mortgage, continues to be the frontier in fulfilling dreams of many Ghanaians in homeownership. Since starting business in 2006, it has also provided many existing homeowners with Equity Release mortgages to support their businesses, pay educational fees, improve their properties, or simply pursue other personal hobbies and interests. Ghana Home Loans is a mortgage finance institution which operates under Bank of Ghana’s supervision as a non-bank financial institution. At present, the Company remains the only such institution that focuses exclusively on the provision of mortgage product. Through the Home Completion mortgage and Home Construction mortgage products, Ghana Home Loans has enabled many qualified applican

Rana Motors celebrates 30 years of Kia Sportage in Ghana with the unveiling of 30 Unique Limited Models

 In a bold milestone, Rana   Motors , a leading player in the automobile industry, is marking 30 years of its flagship compact   SUV , the Kia Sportage presence on the Ghanaian market with the launch of the limited special edition of the 5th Generation model. This latest edition, proudly assembled in Ghana, reflects the brand’s commitment to combining local craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology with key upgrades including acoustic laminated glass for a quieter interior and reinforced safety features like eight airbags, including rear side airbags. Speaking during a brief ceremony to unveil the 30th Anniversary of Kia Sportage in Ghana, Chief Operating Officer of Rana Motors Kassem Odaymat, described the positioning of the company as a game-changer in the automotive landscape.   To mark three decades of outstanding success, Kia has equipped a new special edition of the 2024 Sportage with enhanced specification, focusing on convenience and safety while further elevating the model’s

Index of industrial production surges to 8.2% in 2024 2nd quarter

  The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) has expressed frustration over the challenges faced in securing electricity for schools across the country. During their 62nd Annual Conference, held in Tamale from October 7 to 11, CHASS voiced concerns about the impact of prepaid electricity meters on their operations. In a statement, CHASS highlighted that the use of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) prepaid meters in schools is worsening the financial strain on headteachers. CHASS is extremely surprised as to why its members should be burdened with the responsibility of pre-financing the supply of electricity for classrooms, libraries, dormitories, dining halls, laboratories, and other academic purposes," the statement read. CHASS called for the government's immediate intervention, urging the shift from prepaid to postpaid meters to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply. They emphasized the need for continuous power to support effective academic work and to