Investigating Solid Waste Management in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East Region, Ghana

Abstract

Management of domestic solid waste is one of the challenges facing many metropolitan municipal and district Assemblies in Ghana because uncollected and improperly disposed waste results in the clogging of most public areas, streets, and gutters and has a grave implications on health. In the Bolgatanga municipality, as a result of increasing urban population, a high consumption and disposal lifestyle that has no need for reuse, negative attitude by individuals and households in the handling of waste and the inadequate financial and logistical requirements on the part of the local authorities to combat this menace has had a negative impact on waste management in the municipality. This research conducts a social survey in five (5) major settlements in the municipality namely; Bolgatanga town, Zuarungu, Yikene, Sumburungu and Tindonsobligo to ascertain attitudes in waste management, perceptions on the value and reuse of waste and the management of waste at the household and local levels. Also we determined the rates and trend in increase of population and waste levels for the municipality at a four (4) year interval for the years; 1993, 1997, 2001, 2005, and 2009 and measure the strength of association using Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. The study revealed that the most predominant waste disposal is the communal disposal at sites normally not approved in the peri-urban communities. This is followed by the door-to-door services which was prevalent in the urban residential areas. Despite the dominant nature of communal skips and door-to-door services mostly in the Bolgatanga community, inhabitants still practice improper disposal from disposal in nearby bush to open dumps due to lack of enforcement of regulatory policies and programmes irrespective of income levels. These problems are compounded by inadequate proper storage receptacles, unavailability of community storage receptacles and the long distance of travel for disposal of household waste which discourages dumping at common and approved sites. For the period under consideration (1993)(1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009), the population for the municipality increased from 188,690 to 295,333 representing an increase of 36%, while waste generated increased from 46,015 to 101, 823 tons, an increase by 55% which results in an average per capita waste generation (kg/person/daily) of 0.70 kilogrammes for the period under consideration. The Pearson's Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) between population and waste generated in the municipality revealed a high and a strong association of 0.88 which confirms the distribution of communal skips by the municipal assembly with concentration in high population urban zones within the Bolgatanga town.

The Impact of Economic Class on Solid Waste Generation Pattern in Capital City of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

“…This finding indicates as population increase, the solid waste generations also increase. In accordance with the present results, previous study also has demonstrated that there was strong positive correlation between population and quantity of solid waste produced [12]. Besides, positive strong correlation was established between household income and solid waste generation (r=0.96, p<0.05).…”

Challenges and Sustainability Dynamics of Urban Agriculture in the Savannah Ecological Zone of Ghana: A Study of Bolgatanga Municipality

“…One of the reasons for the high population density is the high fertility rate of 4.7 and immigration from deprived districts across the region. Apart from these, the peaceful environment characterizing the Bolgatanga Municipality coupled with its relatively endowed natural resources, especially at its periphery, as well as its commerce-oriented economy has acted as a trigger for migrants from Bawku because of the chieftaincy and related conflicts (Ampofo et al, 2015). Figure 1 is used to indicate the geographical location of Bolgatanga as the study area and situated within the regional contextualization of the Upper East Region.…”

“…These areas, which include Tindomoligo, Yikene, Yarigabisi, and Tindonsobligo among others, offer cheaper land for housing development for the increasing urban population and for other complementary urban activity as well. The rapid urban growth is attributed to natural population growth and migration from rural areas due to poverty and land conflicts (Ampofo et al, 2015). The Bolgatanga Muncipality has experienced a rapid urban land expansion over the past 30 years; it increased by 6 times; from 499.49 hectares in 1984 to 1525.14 hectares in 2016 with an annual growth rate of 6.4%.…”

Application of Factor Analysis in the Assessment of Solid Waste Management in Bolgatanga Municipality of Ghana

“…For liquid waste disposal, that is throwing waste onto the streets (64.7%) and onto the compound (10.9%) are the two most common methods used by households in most Municipalities in Ghana. A study by [35] titled "Investigating Solid Waste Management in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East Region, Ghana", revealed that, the most predominant waste disposal is the communal disposal at sites normally not approved in the peri-urban communities. This was followed by the door-to-door services which was prevalent in the urban residential areas.…”

“…The municipality like many other local government areas is suffocating in generated waste. Though a number of studies have been undertaken to assess diverse perspectives of waste in the municipality [35], [57][58], much attention has not been devoted in identifying the militating factors to proper waste management in the municipality. A study by [59] indicated that, volumes of solid waste in towns will run into millions of tons and would accumulate if no proper management schemes are put in place to collect them.…”