Achimota Transfer Station Reopens as Accra Battles Post-Flood Waste Buildup

Waste management company Zoomlion Ghana Limited, working alongside the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, has reopened the Achimota-Abofu Transfer Station in a bid to tackle a mounting refuse crisis following devastating floods across the Greater Accra Region.

The Local Government Minister, Ahmed Ibrahim, personally inspected the facility before its official reopening, describing the intervention as urgently necessary. He explained that floodwaters had submerged several landfill sites across the capital, leaving them unreachable for waste collectors and causing rubbish to pile up in homes, markets, and commercial areas — raising serious public health alarms.

Tricycle waste collectors, commonly known as aboboyaa, were among those most affected, unable to offload the refuse they had gathered from communities. The minister said the reopened station would offer them immediate relief. "The reopening of this transfer station is a practical solution to ensure waste collected across the city is properly managed while work continues to restore access to our landfill sites," Mr. Ibrahim stated.

The Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group of Companies, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, said the station would serve as a temporary reception point for refuse, with waste to be transferred to approved disposal sites once the flood-damaged landfill facilities become accessible again. He expressed confidence that the move would help restore sanitation standards in the worst-affected communities.

Minister Ibrahim also acknowledged contributions from the 48 Engineers Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces, the National Security Secretariat, and the Office of the President in coordinating the emergency sanitation response, whilst commending Zoomlion for acting swiftly.

Looking ahead, the government says it plans to bring together private waste firms, transfer station operators, and informal collectors to craft a long-term strategy for strengthening waste infrastructure and maintaining sanitation services during future emergencies.