Ghana could generate US$4.5B annually by 2032 through waste management – ISSER

GHANA – Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) has highlighted the immense economic potential of strategic investment in waste management and sanitation, estimating that Ghana could unlock nearly GH¢48 billion (around US$4.5 billion) annually by 2032.

The findings under a report titled “An Economic Analysis of the Benefits of Adequate Investment in Waste Management and Sanitation in Ghana.”

The study argues that waste should be treated not as an environmental burden, but as a high-value economic resource.

Currently, the country loses over GH¢6bn (US$562.63m) annually due to ineffective sanitation systems, including approximately GH¢5.5bn (US$515.74m) in healthcare costs for sanitation-related diseases and GH¢650m (US$60.95m) cedis in lost productivity.

Poor waste management is linked to more than 107,000 premature deaths each year and nearly 32 million lost work and school days.

ISSER Director Peter Quartey explained that modernized waste management could improve public health, generate employment, increase productivity, and even produce energy.

The report outlines a “best-case scenario” in which increased investment of about GH¢1,028 (US$96.40) per tonne of waste could yield up to GH¢47.9bn (US$4.49bn) in annual economic benefits by 2032.

The study also highlights opportunities in compost production, recycling, and waste-to-energy initiatives, projecting the potential to generate up to 1,484 megawatts of electricity from waste.

Despite this potential, all 261 local assemblies in Ghana currently spend only about GH¢180m (US$16.88m) annually on waste management, indicating a major gap between current investment and achievable returns.

ISSER is urging policymakers to adopt urgent reforms, improve funding for local waste management systems, and foster public-private partnerships to unlock this economic value.

The research suggests that by treating waste as a strategic asset, Ghana can transform the sector into a multi-billion cedi engine of growth while simultaneously addressing public health and environmental challenges.

Similar global trends underscore the value of circular waste economies. For example, the European Union’s Circular Economy Action Plan has incentivized investments in recycling and waste-to-energy technologies, while countries such as Sweden and Japan have demonstrated how municipal waste can become a reliable source of energy and raw materials.

According to ISSER, Ghana faces a clear choice: continue losing billions due to underinvestment or embrace strategic waste management to drive economic growth, public health improvements, and sustainable development by 2032.

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