Kumasi, April 10, – The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has raised concerns over a potential waste management emergency, warning that sanitation in the metropolis and surrounding areas could collapse if urgent steps are not taken.
Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Richard Ofori-Agyemang Boadi, disclosed that the city’s only final disposal site is rapidly filling up and may become unusable within the next three months.
He said such a development would leave about 13 assemblies within the Greater Kumasi enclave without an approved dumping site, potentially leading to severe sanitation challenges, public health risks, and environmental degradation.
Addressing a press briefing in Kumasi, Mr Boadi explained that the volume of waste being received daily had risen to several thousand tonnes, placing significant strain on the Assembly’s already stretched resources.
He noted that the construction of additional landfill cells, estimated at about six million euros, had become urgent to sustain operations beyond the short term.
Without such intervention, he warned, refuse could begin accumulating in major parts of the city, particularly in the Central Business District.
Mr Boadi further indicated that ongoing operational setbacks—including broken-down equipment and limited access during heavy rains—had already slowed waste evacuation in recent days.
He also pointed to financial constraints, including arrears owed to waste service providers and landfill operators, which had further weakened the system’s efficiency.
The Assembly revealed that the Kumasi Compost and Recycling Plant (KCARP), a key waste processing facility, has suspended operations due to unpaid debts and electricity disconnection, significantly reducing waste treatment capacity.
According to him, full restoration of the plant could enable the processing of up to 3,000 tonnes of waste daily, easing pressure on the landfill site.
Mr Boadi cautioned that failure to address the situation promptly could trigger a full-scale sanitation crisis, with possible outbreaks of diseases linked to poor waste disposal.
As part of immediate containment measures, the KMA has imposed stricter sanitation enforcement, including a ban on indiscriminate dumping in the Central Business District and other public spaces.
He added that offenders would be prosecuted, while residents who assist in identifying violators may receive a portion of fines imposed.
The Assembly has also begun deploying additional waste bins and expanding collection logistics to improve waste management across the city.
Mr Boadi appealed to residents, stakeholders, and the media to support sanitation efforts by promoting responsible waste disposal practices, stressing that collective action was essential to avert a looming crisis.
GHBUSS
10 April 2026
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