The Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA) has urged its members to suspend a nationwide strike originally planned for Friday after the government engaged in talks over unpaid arrears owed to waste management service providers.
In a statement, ESPA Executive Secretary Ama Ofori Antwi said the Minister for Local Government and Religious Affairs, Mr. Ibrahim Ahmed, had reached out to the association’s leadership to discuss a resolution to outstanding payments.
“The Minister has assured us of the government’s commitment to process and settle the arrears owed to service providers within the shortest possible time,” Ofori Antwi said.
He added that the discussions will also focus on sustainable policy and funding mechanisms for the waste management sector.
The strike, which would have disrupted waste collection nationwide, is now suspended as both sides work towards a “firm and mutually beneficial resolution.”
Meanwhile, the ESPA has thanked its members for their continued services amid challenging conditions and called for calm, unity, and continued operations while negotiations are ongoing.
The association said it remained confident that ongoing dialogue with the government would stabilise the sector and safeguard both livelihoods and the environment.
Ghana’s waste management sector has faced growing financial pressure, with service providers citing delays in government payments as a key challenge affecting operations.
