The Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central Kwame Asare Obeng aka A-Plus has vowed to empower the youth in his constituency to take control of waste collection, breaking the monopoly held by a single company, Zoomlion. He advocates for decentralizing waste management, allowing young people to establish their own companies in each district, promoting self-reliance and entrepreneurship.
To achieve this, A-Plus proposes procuring well-covered tricycles from the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) on hire purchase for young people to manage waste collection. This initiative could be replicated in all 261 districts, with funds recovered through deductions from the District Assemblies’ Common Fund to MASLOC.
The MP’s stance emphasizes the need for genuine decentralization, criticizing the current system where one company dominates the waste collection sector from Accra to Paga. He argues that waste management is not a complex issue and that simple, affordable machines can convert waste into valuable products.
This move aligns with the President’s directive to allocate 80% of the District Assemblies Common Fund directly to the Assemblies and the Minister for Finance’s requirement for all contracts to receive approval from the Finance Ministry, marking a significant shift in the country’s approach to waste management and decentralization.
Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
