Government can create jobs across waste management chain under 24-hour economy – Dr Annang

A senior research fellow at the University of Ghana, Dr Ted Yemoh Annang, has urged the government to harness the employment potential of the waste management sector under its 24-hour economy initiative.

Dr Annang said the numerous activities involved in managing waste could be reorganised to create jobs and keep the sector operating around the clock.

He explained that opportunities extend across the entire waste management chain, from collection to final disposal, providing a basis for sustained employment.

“I want to tell you that, look, they can create a 24-hour economy from just waste management. If you look at what I call the stages of waste management, you have from generation to storage, collection to transfer, treatment, where you have recycling, reuse and resurfacing, till the disposal site- can’t we create employment along all these stages?,”

“…. some people will be specialised in collection (of the waste), others will do transport, and when it gets to treatment, people will be specialised in the segregation sector,” he said on JoyFM’s Super Morning Show on Tuesday, October 6.

According to him, redesigning the way these activities are organised could enable the government to create jobs at different stages while supporting continuous operations.

His proposal came during a discussion on waste management, following the directive from the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayarigah, for assemblies to identify land for waste transfer stations.

Mahama Ayariga announced on Saturday, October 3, 2026, that Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives had 30 days to identify and submit suitable sites measuring at least one acre for the facilities.

Speaking during the National Sanitation Day exercise at Rawlings Park in Accra, held to mark World Cleanup Day, the minister said the stations would form part of an integrated system covering waste collection, transfer, disposal and recycling.

The proposed reforms also include providing households with two bins to separate organic waste from other solid waste at source.

Mr Ayariga said the government planned to replace open-bucket waste collection tricycles, popularly known as Aboboyaa, with self-loading and self-tipping vehicles. Assemblies in major urban areas would also be expected to identify land for properly engineered landfill facilities.

Dr Annang’s proposal places job creation alongside these sanitation reforms, with a call to organise the work across the waste management chain to support operations throughout the day and night.