The Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA) has appealed to government to immediately pay all outstanding arrears owed to waste management contractors by November 7, 2025, or risk a total shutdown of sanitation services across the country.
The Association in a presser warned that if the government fails to release the funds by the deadline, its members may be forced to suspend operations nationwide.
According to ESPA, such an action could lead to a national sanitation and health crisis, with possible outbreaks of diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and malaria.
The group explained that the non-payment of arrears has left many waste management companies struggling to operate, making it difficult to pay workers, maintain equipment, or sustain daily waste collection activities.
ESPA equally called on the Ministry of Finance to urgently release all pending payments to its members to prevent a breakdown in sanitation services.
The Association also wants government to review the current policy on the national sanitation and pollution levy.
According to ESPA, the levy should be restructured into a dedicated fund to support and sustain waste management operations across the country.
The Association noted that for years, the sector has operated without a clear and consistent budgetary allocation, leaving its financial sustainability at risk.
ESPA warned that if these issues were not addressed immediately, service disruptions could occur, endangering public health and the environment.
By: Jacob Aggrey
