Ghana takes steps to end plastic pollution

Ghana today demonstrated her readiness to end plastic pollution by joining the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) and out doored the Ghana National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP).

As a first African nation to join the international campaign, GPAP would work closely with Ghana‘s Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) to develop a national roadmap for sustainably managing and reducing the country’s plastic waste challenge, while continuing to boost its economic growth.

The Ghana NPAP would support the country’s public, private and civil society sectors in transitioning to a circular plastics economy, which directly addresses the root cause of plastic pollution by fundamentally reshaping the way plastics are produced, used and re-used.

Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the Minister of MESTI speaking at the launch said it would transform the management of plastics throughout the value chain, inject sustainability and reusability into every step of the plastic life cycle.

The NPAP policy, he said would build broader development to grow the economy, create jobs and protect the environment, including mitigation of climate change and acceleration of progress towards many of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng noted that the Plastics Management Policy had been prepared and designed within the context of national sustainable development priorities, including achieving the objectives of the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA) 2018-2022, the Government's coordinated programme for social-economic development.

“When fully realised, the plans outlined in the Plastics Management Policy will unlock economic incentives for source separation, collection, processing and recycling of plastic wastes into valuable resources, generating revenue estimated at four hundred million US Dollars per year,” he added.

Madam Elsie Kanza, the Head of Africa and Member of the Executive Committee at the World Economic Forum stated that plastic pollution had adverse effects on the health, well-being and livelihoods of women children.

“When plastic waste accumulates in the streets and waterways and there is insufficient infrastructure to manage and reduce this waste, we see the degradation of infrastructure and the rapid spread of air-home diseases”, she said.

“We see the burning of waste in urban centres, releasing toxins that pollute the air and harm the health of women and children. And at the same time, we also know that many women derive their livelihoods from the waste management sector including women who participate in the informal economy through collecting plastic waste, and they cannot be left behind in the transition to a circular economy”.

Madam Kristin Hughes, Director of the Global Plastic Action Partnership and a of member of the Executive Committee at the World Economic Forum said, “We are deeply honoured that the Government of Ghana, under the leadership of President Akufo-Addo, has chosen to partner with GPAP in a collective effort to drive forward the country’s plastic action agenda”.

“As one of Africa’s leading political and economic forces, Ghana has the potential to not only dramatically reduce its own plastic pollution but also to spark off a wave of unprecedented plastic action across the African continent. We are confident that the findings and achievements from this highly meaningful partnership will serve as a model of success for the rest of the world.”

The GPAP is a global public-private platform for collaboration to help translate political and corporate commitment to address plastic pollution into tangible strategies and investible action plans. GPAP brings together government, business, civil societies and think tanks to stop plastic pollution from source to sea by 2025, by fast-tracking circular economy solutions.