Ghana loses GHS 6.2B yearly to poor sanitation, study finds

Ghana's losing over GHS 6.2 billion annually due to poor waste management and sanitation—and experts say fixing this could bring massive economic returns.

Ghana's huge sanitation-related economic loss

• Ghana loses GHS 6.2 billion annually from waste and sanitation issues.
• Malaria, cholera, pneumonia, typhoid, and diarrhoea are the top diseases.
• These diseases cause 31.9 million lost workdays and 177,222 deaths each year.

Current investment in waste management is too low

• Ghana spends only GHS 38 per tonne of waste, too little given the impact.
• The country could see massive returns with increased sanitation spending.
• Boosting investment to GHS 1,028 per tonne could yield GHS 556 for every GHS 1 spent.

The case for treating sanitation as a key investment

• Prof. Quartey pushed for waste management to be a high-return investment.
• Better waste management could drive national benefits of GHS 67.2 billion by 2032.
• Authorities were urged to move away from seeing sanitation as a secondary issue.

Challenges in rural and slum areas

• The waste collection system faces irregularities in slums and rural areas.
• Smaller-scale, localized collection systems may be more effective in those areas.
• Concerns were raised about the practical implementation of investment projections.

Job creation and green opportunities in waste management

• Investment in sanitation could unlock jobs, especially in recycling.
• Skills training and public education are key to boosting employment in the sector.
• The forum highlighted the potential for creating green jobs through improved waste management.