Kumasi Introduces Waste Levy

MADAM PATRICIA Appiagyei, the Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive has announced that as part of challenges facing the Assembly concerning solid waste collection, levy collection within the Kumasi Metropolis will begin from January 1, 2008.

According to her, every house would be expected to pay monthly fees ranging from GH¢3.00 to GH¢5.00 as captured in the Assembly's fee fixing resolution.

She said beneficiaries of door-to-door collection in class A, B, and C residential areas would pay GH ¢5.00, GH¢4.00 and GH¢3.00 respectively.

The KMA boss made the announcement in a press release signed by her in Kumasi on Thursday, December 20, 2007.

She said communal collection service beneficiaries would pay GH¢3.00 per storey building per month.

“It must be emphasized that it is the responsibility of all house-to-house beneficiaries to provide their own household bins as specified in the KMA Bye Laws,” she said.

Madam Appiagyei noted however that the KMA would facilitate the provision of bins through private suppliers for interested households to buy and pay in installments.

The KMA boss said one of the major challenges facing the Assembly is the management of solid waste, and that the situation has necessitated the introduction of solid waste management levy scheme which aims at generating adequate revenue from local sources to finance waste collection services.

This, she said, would curtail the accumulation of debt owed to private contractors, and help improve the quality of service.

Madam Appiagyei said ten private contractors have been selected through tender to provide the solid waste collection services.

She said the contractors will collect the monthly service fees from the service beneficiaries and receive additional subsidy from the KMA so as to cover their operational costs.

The KMA boss stressed that it will be compulsory for each and every household and shop operator to participate and cooperate in the programme.

She said it will also be an offence for a beneficiary to default in payment of the service fee when a satisfactory service has been rendered by the assigned contractor, adding that such a person will be dealt with in accordance with the existing KMA Bye laws.

Madam Appiagyei appealed to corporate bodies, landlords, commercial operators, industrialists, and others to rally behind the Assembly to make the programme a huge success.
From Stella Danso,