Ghana loses more than GH¢6.2 billion each year to poor waste management and sanitation, according to a new policy brief by the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) at the University of Ghana.

The report, Waste or Wealth? The Economic Returns to Sanitation Investment in Ghana, estimates that annual health and productivity losses linked to inadequate sanitation exceed GH¢6.2 billion, while Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) spend just GH¢180.2 million on waste management and sanitation.

ISSER said Ghana spends around 30 times more dealing with the effects of poor sanitation than it invests in preventing them.

The study identified preventable diseases such as malaria, cholera and typhoid as the main drivers of the economic losses, estimating they result in 31.9 million lost work and school days and about 107,222 premature deaths each year.

According to the report, direct medical treatment costs Ghana GH¢5.58 billion annually, while a further GH¢650 millionis lost through absenteeism and reduced productivity.

ISSER warned that rapid urbanisation, population growth and changing consumption patterns are placing increasing pressure on waste management systems, with consequences for public health, the environment and economic development.

The institute said waste management should be treated as a strategic investment rather than solely an environmental or social responsibility, arguing that increased investment in sanitation infrastructure and services would reduce disease, improve productivity and support economic growth.