The Municipal, Metropolitan and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) have called on the government to increase allocations for waste management under the District Assembly Common Fund, citing growing sanitation challenges across their jurisdictions.

The Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Chief Executive, Ebenezer Cobbinah, appealed while commending the government for the prompt release of Common Fund allocations, which he said have facilitated the execution of various development projects in the districts.

Speaking to Channel One News on Wednesday, March 4, in Takoradi on the sidelines of a two-day capacity-building programme organised by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Local Government and Rural Development for MMDAs in the Western Region, Mr Cobbinah noted that although the timely disbursement of funds has empowered assemblies to undertake critical projects, waste management remains underfunded.

According to him, assemblies across the region are delivering on infrastructure and community projects due to improved access to the Common Fund, with some districts commissioning completed projects while others have ongoing works.

“Looking at the chunk of Common Fund that comes to our district level, it has empowered us to do more. All the district assemblies in the Western Region are doing more. Some of us have commissioned projects, and some of those projects are under construction as well.

“This is an insightful one, and we pray and hope that the government will continue to do that,” he said.

“The aspect of environment on the District Assembly Common Fund, we wish that it is increased because the generation of refuse is done every day,” he added.