The Coordinator for Eco-Conscious Citizens, Awula Serwah, has reiterated calls for Ghana to implement a total ban on single-use plastics.
She stated that the nation’s chronic waste management challenges and recurring flooding cannot be effectively addressed without drastic legislative action.
Her proposal follows widespread flooding across Accra and its surrounding communities, a crisis that has once again exposed persistent sanitation and waste management failures.
Speaking in an interview on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Serwah highlighted how plastic waste routinely clogs drains and gutters due to irresponsible disposal.
She emphasised that plastic waste heavily exacerbates the flooding situation in Ghana, making it imperative for the authorities to deal with the crisis decisively. She also noted that even fishermen are suffering the consequences, as the fish they catch are now found to contain microplastics.
In her view, Ghana is facing a severe plastic menace, yet several African counterparts have already shown that a solution is within reach.
She remarked that it is interesting to note that countries like Rwanda, Tanzania, and Kenya have successfully banned single-use plastics, proving that it is not an impossible task and that Ghana can similarly reduce the volume of plastics contributing to its flooding crisis.
Serwah argued that Ghana’s waste management system currently lacks the infrastructure required to properly handle the growing volume of waste generated in urban areas.
She urged stakeholders to look at the bigger picture, particularly the negative environmental impacts of plastics and the trauma that successive floods inflict on citizens, questioning whether the nation can afford to remain unconcerned.
She questioned why Ghana cannot replicate the success of Rwanda, alongside other nations like Jamaica and Botswana that have taken similar steps.
She believes it is entirely achievable if the necessary political will exists.
Whilst praising the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent decision to ban takeaway containers due to the toxins they leach into food—a policy set to take effect next year—she noted that a broader ban on single-use plastics is equally feasible with political backing.
She called on Ghanaians to get behind the government in supporting this initiative, urging everyone to focus on the long-term benefits.
The advocate noted that Eco-Conscious Citizens and partner environmental groups have consistently campaigned for a ban on single-use plastics, which comprise a significant portion of the debris choking capital drains. She maintained that Ghana’s waste management remains poor compared to countries where waste segregation is highly prioritised.
“Plastic waste are clogging our drains, gutters because they are disposed of irresponsibly. We have a plastic menace and it is interesting to know that Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya have banned single-use plastic. So it is not difficult to do. We can reduce the amount of plastics which are contributing to flooding in Ghana.”
Beyond improving collection, she added that Ghana must invest heavily in recycling and focus on reducing the amount of waste sent to already overstretched landfill sites.
She also suggested that Ghana look into innovative waste-to-energy solutions, noting that some countries successfully use waste to generate power. She concluded that Ghana must investigate sustainable alternatives for its waste instead of allowing it to choke gutters, cause floods, or overwhelm overflowing landfills.
She expressed concern over reports that some Ramsar wetland sites are being filled with refuse simply because the country is generating vast amounts of waste without knowing how to manage it, underscoring a critical failure in recycling and an urgent need to reduce overall waste production.
“If Rwanda has done it, why can’t we do it? I am told that even Jamaica, Botswana have also done it. It is not difficult at all. We can do it if the political will is there. Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) did a good thing by banning the takeaway containers. Those containers cause toxins to enter our food and so they have banned it, which is a step in the right direction and it will take effect next year. So the ban on single-use plastic can be done if we have the political will. Ghanaians must get behind the government in doing that. We are looking at the bigger picture.”
“In some countries they use waste to generate power, so we have to investigate what we can do with our waste instead of ending up in our gutters, choking and causing floods, or instead of going to the landfills which are full. I am told some Ramsar sites are being filled with waste because we are generating so much waste and don’t know what to do with them. So recycling is a problem. We need to find a way of ensuring that we don’t have so much waste to dispose of.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
