Ghana forfeits more than GHS 6.2 billion every year due to diseases linked to inadequate waste management and poor sanitation, according to a new study by the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) at the University of Ghana.
The findings were unveiled at a high-level stakeholder forum in Accra on 26 February 2026, attended by policymakers, Members of Parliament, local government officials, development partners and private sector representatives.
The study titled “An Economic Analysis of the Benefits of Adequate Investment in Waste Management and Sanitation in Ghana”, led by Prof. Peter Quartey and Dr. Kwame Adjei-Mantey, examined the economic and social costs of current sanitation challenges and modelled potential gains from increased investment.
Key findings include:
Five major diseases associated with poor sanitation — malaria, cholera, pneumonia, typhoid fever and diarrhoea — together account for nearly 31.9 million lost workdays and an estimated 177,222 deaths annually.
Direct medical costs related to these illnesses were estimated at about GHS 5.8 billion, while productivity losses were around GHS 650 million, driving the total loss above GHS 6.2 billion per year.
Despite the high economic burden, national spending on waste management remains low — about GHS 38 per tonne of waste generated.
The report shows that every GHS 1 invested in waste management under the current model yields roughly GHS 180 in returns. Under an improved investment scenario aligning with lower-middle-income benchmarks (about GHS 1,028 per tonne), returns could rise to GHS 556 per GHS 1 invested, with projected national benefits reaching GHS 58 billion by 2025 and GHS 67.2 billion by 2032.
Presenters urged authorities to shift sanitation from a peripheral budget item to a strategic investment priority — highlighting its potential to protect public health and boost economic growth.
