Ghana to End Plastic Waste Threat, Prez Assures Ghanaians

BY ANIN AGYEI–

Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana
Photo Credit: Twitter

NEW AFRICA BUSINESS NEWS, Accra, Ghana- THE PRESIDENT of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, has launched the Ghana National Plastics Action Partnership, which seeks to stop the growth of global plastic pollution, and also ensure, amongst others, that plastics do not find their way into the country’s marine bodies.

Speaking at the launch of the initiative, October 1, 2019, at the Labadi Beach Hotel, President Akufo-Addo said the threat of plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing challenges facing mankind today.

With the danger affecting the day-to-day activities of the human race, the President said confronting this challenge demands the active partnership and co-operation of all nations.

“When I took office in 2017, I requested the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, headed by its Minister, the globally acclaimed Ghanaian scientist, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, to develop an effective strategy to meet the challenges associated with the management of plastic waste in Ghana,” he said.

He said the results is the National Plastics Management Policy of Ghana, whose blue-print has attracted the attention of the global community, and has led us to this exciting partnership with the World Economic Forum.

Nana Akufo-Addo said Ghana’s Plastic Management Policy, would not only focused on how to address plastic waste, but takes also a holistic view of the entire value chain of plastics, and seeks to achieve several objectives.

He said some of the objectives includes, develop a working circular economy framework for plastics in Ghana, to reduce Ghana’s reliance on the use of plastics and promote their replacement with green alternatives and to nurture the development of new business models for job creation throughout the value chain.

The President added that the policy will develop systems and infrastructure across the country that will ensure that “we are not littering our plastic waste, but using them as resources for value-addition and also to ensure that Ghana has a long-term and sustainable means of funding plastic waste management.

Through the partnership with the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP), President Akufo-Addo was confident that progress will be fast-tracked in Ghana “towards that collective goal, which is to achieve zero leakage of plastic waste into our oceans and waterways.”

The President, therefore pledged the full commitment of the government of Ghana towards the successful implementation of the programme that will be outlined under National Plastics Action Partnership (NPAP).

“Whilst the eventual outcome of NPAP will be owned by the people of Ghana, it is my expectation that its example will contribute to the resolution of this problem on the African continent, and be a shining example of the global achievements of GPAP,” he added.

BY ANIN AGYEI, NEW AFRICA BUSINESS NEWS, AFRICA CORRESPONDENT

Facebook: newafricabusinessnews.com

Email: Info@newafricabusinessnews.com

AFRICA’S MOST READ AND FASTEST GROWING GLOBAL NEWSPAPER – www.newafricabusinessnews.com