The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) has applied for €54 million from the C40 Cities Financial Facility, which collaborates with cities to prepare and implement urban infrastructure projects that improve the lives of residents with large scale, measurable impact, to overhaul operations at the Sofokrom landfill site, the only official dumping ground for Ghana’s Western Region.
The 68-acre site, which serves multiple districts including Shama and Ahanta West, has become increasingly difficult to manage, costing the Assembly nearly GHC900,000 a month. Challenges have worsened after the breakdown of its only waste truck, while poor access roads during the rainy season have disrupted collections and driven illegal dumping.
Under the proposal, the funding would be used to build a biodigester and recycling plant to modernise waste processing and curb environmental damage. Mayor Fredrick Faidoo said the landfill’s lack of a gas collection system means harmful methane and carbon dioxide emissions are currently released into the atmosphere.
“The proposed facility will provide a holistic solution by turning organic waste into biogas and recycling materials like plastics and metals. This approach will cut emissions, reduce landfill dependence, and create value from waste,” Faidoo said.
During a recent site inspection, C40 Cities officials backed the project’s vision. Abraham Afful, C40’s National Coordinator, called it “visionary” and underscored the need for better hygiene and waste separation practices in the municipality.
If approved, the investment would position Sekondi-Takoradi as a model for sustainable waste management in urban Africa, transforming what is now a critical environmental challenge into a source of renewable energy and economic opportunity.
