The Tamale Municipal Assembly has privatised its solid waste management and collection services under the World Bank-sponsored "Urban Four Project".

The 1.4 billion-cedi contract will be reviewed annually taking into account inflationary trend.

Announcing this at a public forum in Tamale on Thursday, Mr Albert Awuah (Junior), Project Co-ordinator said under the project, which would last six years, the World Bank would assist the assembly to meet part of the cost of solid waste collection and management.

He said the project would start on a pilot basis in 12 zones of the municipality.

It is estimated that the cost of a ton of solid waste collected in Tamale is 4.37 dollars daily as against 10 dollars charged in Accra for the same service.

Mr Awuah explained that variable cost in the solid waste collection and management is lower in Tamale than in Accra.

Mr Awuah said the assembly would start registering households and establishments to benefit from the service in the pilot zone on July 16, ahead of the actual commencement work on October 1.

Billing of these households and establishments would be done by the assembly on monthly basis.

He said the assembly has acquired land for solid waste disposal and water and electricity would soon be extended to the site.

The Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Prince Imoro Andani said the assembly spends between 30 and 50 per cent of its total revenue on waste management.

He said solid waste collection services had become a major problem because of the rapid population growth of the municipality.

Mr Andani said despite the high expenditure, the level of collection is low with only 35 to 50 per cent of residents receiving service.

He said most waste disposal is by unsafe, open dumping and this has resulted in environmental health and socio-economic consequences to the people.