Urban sanitation crisis and contestations over dumpsites in Accra, Ghana

Efficient waste management, particularly the management of municipal waste, poses a significant challenge in the increasingly urbanized parts of the developing world. Due to poor spatial planning, an emerging concern has been the siting and location of waste facilities, which often result in conflicts between state actors and communities. This study examines how state-acquired waste disposal sites became a source of conflict between local communities and waste managers in Accra, Ghana In-depth interviews were conducted with a total of 45 key informants, including government officials, waste managers, traditional leaders, and landowners, and three focus group discussions were held with 30 residents in communities affected by the dumpsite, anchored on a phenomenological design. The participants were selected purposively, and the interview sessions were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed following the six-step thematic content analysis by Braun and Clarke. It was discovered that the contestations over dumpsites were not just a community versus company issue, but also a multi-directional contest between waste management companies and community members over nuisances like foul odour and disease, and between district assemblies over jurisdiction and revenue from dumpsite operations. These contestations were exacerbated by the mode of land acquisition for dumpsite siting, a lack of resources, and weak enforcement of sanitation bye-laws. The study recommends the implementation of strategies to ensure strict compliance with dumpsite guidelines in relation to the siting of dumpsites, encompassing modes of land acquisition for dumpsites, proximity to human settlements, and waste minimization, through the establishment of a recycling and compost facility to considerably reduce the demand for urban land for waste disposal.