They would also address climate change, share knowledge and drive meaningful, measurable and sustainable action on the challenges affecting the lives of the people and communities in their respective cities.

The workshop is being attended by representatives of 28 city delegates from various African countries including Ghana, with Zoomlion and Jekora Ventures, local waste management contractors, also attending.

It would also take pragmatic measures to improve on financing in the waste sector for a healthier and more sustainable future.

Mr Mohammed Adjei Sowah, the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), in an address said many waste systems were being stretched, with cities experiencing real challenges in collecting and disposing waste produced daily.

He described the financing of waste infrastructure as one of the greatest challenges, which required huge initial investment to build the infrastructure and also the operational cost.

"This is why as Vice Chairman of C40, I decided to bring the meeting here in Accra for the benefit of other African countries, to build closer relations and develop new waste management financing model projects together," Mr Sowah said.

The MCE said since the overall objective of the workshop focused specifically on economics of waste management, cities would need to devote special attention to the financing implications and "how we can adapt our municipal and metropolitan budget to make sure operational cost of the infrastructure for the next 20 to 30 years would not be a problem."

Mr Sowah said Accra alone produced about 3,000 tons of solid waste daily, which was equivalent to about 150 large waste trucks, however, larger cities, like Lagos, in Nigeria, produced 15,000 tons of waste daily.

"If we do not act now, we would be submerged by our own waste, contaminate the air, soil, water and threaten livelihood," he noted.

He said the impact of mismanaged waste could cause climate change and even worse, which would increase global temperature by more than two degrees and "make our survival on this planet more and more of a challenge."

"Accra can boast of one of the largest waste recovery park in West Africa, with the latest technology facility that is capable of processing 400 tons of mixed waste daily, recovering 95 per cent of compost and recyclable," he said.

Madam Sandra Mazo-Nix, the Coordinator of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) Initiative, said waste when unsustainably managed would contribute to breeding ground for toxins and microbes that would contaminate the air, soil, and water.

She called on cities to prioritise waste as it relates to all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Madam Gifti Nadi, the Deputy Regional Director for Africa of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, said the impact of rapid urbanisation, increasing generation of waste and related effects on sanitation and the environment should remain a priority agenda in most of the cities.

She congratulated Accra for the best practices in improving waste collection, safe disposal, recovery of waste and its most advanced processing infrastructure in West Africa.