Government must prioritise regular payments for waste management, Zoomlion demands
General manager tells journalists that Zoomlion subsidiary SSGL relies heavily on government payments to maintain its operations, including equipment maintenance and personnel costs
The successful operation of Sewage Systems Ghana Ltd (SSGL), a subsidiary of Zoomlion Ghana Ltd (ZGL), hinges on the timely disbursement of government payments for services rendered.
This was the message put out by company management on a recent tour by members of the Parliamentary Press Corps of ZGL’s project facilities in Accra, during which SSGL’s general manager, Lola Asiseh Ashitey, highlighted some of the challenges facing the firm.
Ms Ashitey contended that even though SSGL plays a critical role in addressing Ghana’s wastewater management needs, operating six treatment plants across the country and planning to expand to all 16 regions, delayed government payments pose a significant threat to the company’s ability to operate smoothly and expand its services.
According to her, SSGL relies heavily on government payments to maintain its operations, including equipment maintenance and personnel costs.
However, delayed disbursements have resulted in cash flow constraints, hindering the company’s ability to scale up operations and provide efficient services.
“The government’s timely payment for our services is crucial for our operations,” Ashitey stressed. “Delayed payments affect our ability to maintain our equipment, pay our staff and expand our services to other regions,” she said.
Additionally, Ms Ashitey revealed that SSGL faced several challenges, including liquid waste mixed with solid waste, which causes blockages in pipes and disrupts operations.
“Limited support and patronage and high operational costs also hinder the company’s ability to expand nationwide and scale operations across Africa,” she said. She described how the company, established in 2017, has revolutionised wastewater treatment in Ghana.
“Before our establishment, wastewater was discharged directly into the sea. Today, we treat wastewater from homes, process faecal waste and operate six treatment plants in locations like Lavender Hill, Kotoku, Kumasi and Takoradi.
“Our goal is to have treatment plants in all 16 regions of Ghana,” she assured members of the press.
Beyond waste treatment, the company maximises its spin-offs.
“The company also utilises by-products from waste treatment. Solid waste is processed into charcoal and compost, while liquid by-products are used for irrigation purposes,” she explained. “Our core aim is to ensure the proper disposal of both solid and liquid waste while promoting reuse for environmental sustainability.”
Currently, Ms Ashitey pointed out, only 5% of Ghana is connected to a sewage system. The areas covered include quarters of Accra such as Cantonments, State House (the home of Parliament), parts of Osu and parts of the University of Ghana, as well as other urbanised areas outside the capital such as Akosombo.
The media team visited the Accra Compost and Recycling Plant (ACARP), where the assistant plant manager, Benjamin Asante-Ayeh, walked journalists through the facility’s operations.
Asante-Ayeh explained that ACARP processes municipal solid waste, recovered plastics, rubber and organic materials, with an impressive 70% recycling recovery rate, adding that the plant produces organic compost for farmlands and manufactures items such as dustbins and buckets from recycled plastics.
“At ACARP, we cherish waste because we see its potential. With the right interventions, we can transform discarded materials into valuable, reusable products,” Asante-Ayeh said.
Government support, he agreed, has helped reduce some operational costs, “but more investment is needed”.
The company has also established Integrated Recycling and Compost Plants (IRECOPs) as well as smaller recycling facilities across Ghana, and is expanding operations into Africa, he added.
Speaking to the media, the managing director of ACARP, Michael Padi Tuwor, announced that the company has embarked on a programme of strengthening partnerships with other African countries, including Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya and Nigeria.
“Our mission is to transform waste management across the continent. Though public sensitisation is still low, we are seeing progress as more Ghanaians recognise the importance of proper waste disposal,” Tuwor said.
In this regard, he encouraged Ghanaians to store waste properly for collection rather than dispose of it indiscriminately, helping to create a cleaner, more sustainable future.
From ACARP, the Parliamentary Press Corps visited the Zoomlion transfer station at Pantang-Abokobi.
At this facility, waste is collected and sorted before being transported to landfill sites. The purpose of the transfer station is to cut down transportation costs by reducing the distance waste travels to landfills. Instead of small waste transport vehicles going directly to landfill sites, they bring waste to this transfer station run by Zoomlion, where it is sorted and consolidated.
The operations supervisor, Cephas Awuku, briefed the media on the operations at the facility. He explained that tricycles transporting waste to the station have been registered to ensure an organised and efficient process.
For her part, the director of communications and corporate affairs with ZGL, Emma Adwoa-Appia Osei-Duah, thanked the media for making time to familiarise themselves with the company’s facilities in Accra.
She reiterated the commitment of Zoomlion to keeping the environment clean and safe. She used the opportunity to call for stricter enforcement of environmental by-laws to support waste management initiatives and strengthen government partnerships.
She also stressed the importance of waste bins in households, urging citizens to take care of them to prevent loss or misuse.
“We all generate waste, which is why we must ensure proper disposal. When we work together, we can create a cleaner and healthier environment. Zoomlion and its sister companies remain committed and ready to achieve this goal,” Ms Osei-Duah assured reporters.
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