The Sanitation and Water Resources Committee of Parliament has called on government to separate the current 10-pesewa sanitation levy from the Energy Sector Levy and raise it to 50 pesewas to provide sustainable funding for the country’s sanitation needs.
Committee Chairman and MP for Nkwanta North, John Oti Bless, explained that the absence of a dedicated financing mechanism is hampering efforts to address Ghana’s worsening sanitation challenges. He noted that Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) are struggling to contract waste management service providers following the cancellation of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA)–Zoomlion agreement.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, Oti Bless stressed the urgency of creating a reliable funding stream to tackle the crisis.
“I want to propose that we increase the levy to at least 50 pesewas. A portion of the funds can be allocated to the National Youth Employment Agency to help recruit more workers for sanitation,” he said.
He further cited his constituency as an example, noting that the GH¢200,000 allocated to districts for sanitation projects is woefully inadequate. “That amount cannot solve the sanitation problems we are facing. Without a clear and sustainable funding source, the challenges will persist,” he added.
