The Sanitation and Water Resources Committee of Parliament has urged the government to decouple the 10-pesewa sanitation levy from the Energy Sector Levy and increase it to 50 pesewas to effectively address the country’s sanitation challenges.

According to the Nkwanta North MP, the absence of a dedicated funding stream is crippling efforts to tackle the sanitation crisis, as Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) struggle to engage waste management service providers following the cancellation of the YEA–Zoomlion contract.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, the Chairman of the Committee, John Oti Bless, emphasized the urgent need for a committed and sustainable source of funding.

“I want to propose that we increase it, at least. We can make it Ghp 0.50. We then distribute this money, giving a percentage to the National Youth Employment Agency to support them in recruiting more people.

“The amount of money given to my district, for example, with a lot of sanitation issues, according to the directors is around Ghc200,000. That is inadequate and it cannot solve sanitation issues. Unless we have a clear source funding,” he said.