The government is considering developing an industrial park on the land occupied by the massive waste heaps at the Integrated Recycling and Compost Plant (IRECOP) site in Accra following the ongoing cleanup exercise.
Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, disclosed this during a visit to the site to assess progress on the waste clearance operation.
He said the government was determined to secure the reclaimed land against encroachment and ensure that it was put to productive use after the cleanup.
Mr Ayariga explained that interim measures would be introduced to cover portions of the cleared area and provide facilities, including walkways, to improve conditions for residents in neighbouring communities while plans for the industrial park are pursued.
He commended the progress made by the team undertaking the exercise, noting that the visible transformation had demonstrated Ghana’s capacity to address major sanitation challenges through effective coordination and resource mobilisation.
Although the initial 90-day deadline for the exercise has not elapsed, the Minister expressed satisfaction with the pace of work and confidence that the target would be achieved.
“Today, you can see for yourselves how far we have come. That’s why I said that as a country, when we challenge ourselves, we can do a lot for ourselves,” he stated.
He added that successfully clearing the accumulated waste at IRECOP would demonstrate that similar sanitation challenges across the country could be effectively managed.
“If we are able to clear this heap, I don’t think there’s any waste in this country that cannot be cleared. And I don’t think there’s any waste that cannot be managed,” he said.
Mr Ayariga further disclosed that the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP) team would move to other regions after completing the Accra exercise.
He said the equipment would subsequently be deployed to support strategic infrastructure projects, including dam construction, agricultural development, water storage and sanitation management.
The Minister emphasised that the government intended to maximise the use of the equipment to address critical development challenges across the country.
