TMA receives landfill equipment and vehicles

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development on Tuesday handed over landfill equipment and vehicles valued at Gh¢408,000 to the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), under the Second Urban Environmental Sanitation Project (UESP 2). The landfill equipment, valued at Gh¢295,000 comprised of one tipper truck and one water tanker, while a Toyota Hiace information van and a Nissan pick-up vehicles both were valued at Gh¢113,000.

Under the Waste Management Component of the World Bank-funded UESPII, TMA is to benefit from an Engineered Sanitary Landfill, which is under construction near Kpone.

Mr. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the sector Minister, presented the equipment to the TMA and was received by Mr. Robert Kempes Papa Nii Ofosuware, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive.

Mr. Ofosuware explained that unlike the present dumpsite at Kpone, the sanitary landfill, being constructed at GHC 12 million had been designed to treat the leachate and gases usually produced from dump sites.

The leachate is a blackish toxic liquid which flows from dump sites, especially during the rainy season, and it is a health hazard, because it contaminates anything it comes into contact with.**