Story by, Bernard Dardzie
The National President of the Informal Waste workers and Borla Taxi and Tricycle Association, Madam Lydia Bamfo has appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to give listening ears to the plights of the Informal Waste Pickers and Collectors in the country.
She also called on the President Akufo--Addo to address their issues to help achieve his noble vision of making Accra the cleanest city in West Africa.
Speaking at event organized by Green Africa Youth (GAYO) and Borla Taxi & Tricycle Association, where a long life insurance policy was granted to 200 Informal Waste workers in Accra, Madam Lydia Bamfo underscored the importance of president intervention to address the issues affecting waste workers in the country.
Madam Lydia Bamfo address based on the unfortunate experiences that they have in accessing healthcare delivery. We need Materials Recovery Facilities to enable the sorting of waste and accessible landfill sites for disposal of waste.”
Highlighting some of the major challenges members are faced with in the discharge of their duties, Lydia Bamfo, the president of the Borlar Taxi and Tricycle Association (BTTA), pointed out the stark issues of health her members battle with on daily basis compounded by stigma which she describes as very “unfortunate, embarrassing and dehumanizing”.
The general Secretary Max .H. Jumbo, the general Secretary of Informal Waste Workers identified the role of the waste sector as very crucial particularly waste pickers which greatly supports the formal sector in achieving effective management of solid waste in Ghana.
“We face a lot of challenges during our operations at the landfill sites. When it comes to the aspect of health, we inhale a lot of toxic substances on a daily basis which puts our lives at risk. We need government support."
Mr Jumbo also called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo--Addo to do everything possible to support the informal waste workers as they are the only waste workers that can bring sanity and also make Ghana the cleanest city in Africa.