The Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) has expressed worry about the growing plastic pollution in the country and its implication on the environment.
It said it would, therefore, not relent in its effort to welcome initiatives that would support the elimination of the menace to protect the country.
Speaking at a day’s stakeholder forum on plastic waste in Accra yesterday, a representative of the sector Ministry, Mr Oliver Boachie, urged the public to join the fight against improper disposal of plastic waste.
The forum, organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Ghana, brought together more than 70 participants from the waste management sector of the country, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
Mr Boachie said plastic management in Ghana could not be successful without the support of the public, adding that government was concerned about the menace that was why a National Plastic Management Policy was adopted in 2018.
He lamented that the estimation that the ocean will contain more plastics by 2050 than fish, was why the whole world must rise up and find a lasting solution to the problem.
According to Mr Boachie, his outfit would keep liaising with the private sector, Ministry of Sanitation Water and Water Resources and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to stop indiscriminate dumping and efficiently manage plastic waste.
He commended the AMA for constantly prosecuting sanitation offenders, saying it was a step in the right direction.
Mr Desmond Appiah, a representative of the AMA, debunked rumours that his outfit had failed in its quest to make Accra the cleanest city in Africa.
He said “we are on course, and are doing better than before. Accra looks better every day and we will not stop ridding the city of filth and prosecuting persons found engaging in littering and indiscriminate dumping of refuse.”
Mr Appiah said the demolition of structures on water ways was also ongoing and stressing that AMA would do everything within its power to ensure the quality of lives of all the city dwellers were improved.
Meanwhile in an open forum, discussants urged city authorities to make sure that waste management services reached every community in the country to promote sanitation and ensure proper disposal of plastic waste.
BY RAISSA SAMBOU
