The Executive Director of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr Henry Kwabena Kokofu, has called for an increment in the prices of plastics to render them more expensive to purchase.
According to him, the move will act as a disincentive to the usage of the products which contribute to Ghana’s environmental problems including flooding incidents.
Dr Kokofu observed this while speaking on Angel FM’s Anↄpa Bↄfoↄ morning show on Monday, as part of efforts to sensitize the public on environmental protection.
It was in line with World Environment Day which was marked on Sunday, June 5, 2022.
In a 2020 report, Accra, Ghana’s capital was named the third most polluted city in Africa. The report was published by a Swiss firm called IQAIR.
The government, in partnership with private companies, has taken steps to make the city the cleanest in West Africa while targeting plastic wastes due to the impacts on the environment.
At their last partnership meeting held in Accra, the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), Dr Kwaku Afriyie, indicated that the model used currently to collect the wastes is the economic incentive approach.
“When you bring [plastics], they weigh them and they pay you,” the Minister said while indicating that the government was considering alternative solutions to the challenge.
“I have discussed it with Dr Siaw Agyepong [Chief Executive of Jospong Group of Companies and partner] and his managers that we are thinking about different things. For the other key ministers, we have met at least four times on this matter, and we have an idea of what will work and what will not work.”
The Minister for Works and Housing, Francis Asenso Boakye, also cautioned the public against indiscriminate disposal of solid wastes including plastics when he went to inspect dredging works ongoing in Odaw Basin near Korle Lagoon in Accra.
According to him, the negative attitude of the Ghanaians toward waste management counters the government’s efforts in addressing the flooding situation in the region and creates other challenges.
“Under no circumstance should anybody dump solid waste into drainage channels because it has a devastating effect on lives and property and the economy as a whole,” said the Minister.
But in the midst of all, the EPA Chief Executive believes that the most favourable and yet the cheapest way to deal with the problem is to place plastics at high prices.
Citing South Africa for instance, he explained that polythene bags are usually expensive items in the country because they don’t want the bags to look appealing to potential buyers.
