Coastal Conservancy Organisation (CCO), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), on Thursday, launched the Clean Coast/Beach Project (CCBP) to embark on more regular and sustainable clean-up exercise to rid the coastline of Ghana of marine filth.
The phase one of the project which started in August this year, had focused on ten beaches stretching from Tema Newtown to the Borla beach behind the Independence Square at Osu in Accra.
The phase two and three would tackle the entire coastline of Ghana from Axim to Aflao.
In a speech read on her behalf, the Executive Director of CCO, Adjoa Saaba Eshun, stated that while efforts were being made by both the public and private sectors in tackling the root cause of plastic pollution, it was equally important to look at a sustainable way of keeping the coastline clean through constant cleaning, rigorous community education and a change of attitude of the people towards sanitation.
She noted that the occasional clean-up campaigns and other marine stewardship activities in the past had helped to improve sanitation, and the situation along the coastline had not made the desired impact since they were not regular and sustainable.
“After participating in several clean-up activities within the Greater Accra Region and moving into coastal communities, and realising the extent of plastic pollution and its attendant health implications on the people, I decided to act and that gave birth to CCO and the CCBP which fits in well with the President’s vision of making Accra the cleanest city in Africa and to attract major tourism into the country.”
She observed that, occasional volunteer beach clean-ups have made little impact and failed to solve the perennial filthy coastline and beaches problems in Ghana, hence the initiative for a more regular and sustainable cleaning regime to address the coastal pollution.
Programme of activities of the CCO included regular and sustainable beach cleaning, provision of low cost biofil digester toilets, beach restoration activities, beach enhancement and greening, clean marine environment advocacy, public awareness campaigns and beach conservation campaign.
To achieve this vision and have a successful project, Ms Eshun said there was the need for stakeholder involvement including those yet to respond to the request for partnership, to be on board for a more coordinated and integrated approach to rid the beaches of filth, improve sanitation and stem open defecation.
The CCO had engaged more than 160 volunteers from the coastal communities for the phase one and a further 350 community-based youth have been earmarked for the phase two and three.
Director General of the GPHA, Michael Luguje, said the marine environmental problems along Ghana’s coastline was very key to port management, and the protection of port environment from all forms of pollution continued to be a central objective of the port industry.
He, therefore, challenged the CCO to be resilient and seek support to augment GPHA’s effort to maintain the regularity and sustainability of the project.
Caption for pictures: Mr Luguje (middle) being assisted by Mrs Esther Gyebi Donkor, Marketing and Corporate Communication Manager of the GPHA to launch the project. Far left is the chairman of CCO, Justice Lionel Eshun
FROM KEN AFEDZI, SAKUMONO
