An assessment of public-private partnership and spatial distribution of solid waste collection services in the Tema Metropolis.

Abstract

Solid waste management as a public good is expected to be distributed equally across space, though under the Public-Private Partnership policy strategy. The achievement of this objective may help improve environmental sustainability. Hence, the study investigated the spatial distribution of solid waste collection service within the context of Public-Private Partnership in the Tema Metropolis. A mixed method research approach was used while the descriptive survey design constituted the study design. The sample size was 363 respondents selected using a multi-stage sampling technique and 4 key informants via purposive sampling. Data was collected using an interview schedule and guide. Analysis of data was done through the application of descriptive statistics, chi-square test of independence, Geographic Information System-thematic mapping and thematic analysis. The study found that the spatial distribution of the solid waste collection service vary in terms of the quality of service distributed between the selected communities by the private waste companies. Lastly, it was established that the variation experienced is as a result of some external factors such as the regulatory capacity of the Metropolitan Assembly and the unavailability of infrastructural facilities. The effects of the variation on the sustainable development, however, showed the communities being clean with fewer health issues experienced by the people. Therefore, it was recommended that to solve the variation problem the Metropolitan Assembly should incorporate the informal waste collectors into the waste collection system so they may help bring equity in the collection of waste.