Ga West’s Municipal Chief Executive Officer, Clement Wilkinson, has argued in favor of the need for the country’s central government and essential sanitation partners to impose a ban on plastics.

The MCE claims that the call to the Central Government is necessary owing to the dangers that plastics pose to country residents, the substantial environmental challenges associated with managing plastic waste, the clogging of drainage systems that results in flooding, and the problems that plastics raise with regard to public health.

“There should be a paradigm shift on plastics so Ghanaians do not die from ingesting microplastic while alive,” he stated, stressing that, “Plastic is not part of our system because it harms life, health, and all life chains around the globe.”

Mr. Wilkinson also mentioned that his municipality has run a number of educational campaigns on recycling and reusing plastic. This will lessen its negative environmental consequences.

“When people are shopping and are offered plastic bags, one thing they can do is refuse them. The more people refuse, the less plastic bags are used and thrown away,” he pointed out.

The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), meantime, has urged decision-makers to outlaw plastic carrying bags and containers across the entire country.

Dr. Kodjo Esseim Mensah-Abrampa, the Director General of the NDPC, claims that since nations like Rwanda and Tanzania have witnessed significant gains in sanitation as a result of banning plastics, Ghana must do the same.

“I have been saying this everywhere I go and I don’t mince words: that if we can find a way to enhance and place this embargo, it would change the morphology of our cities and make them more attractive and bring us the resources we expect in terms of tourism and others,” he added.

Source: Richard Obeng Bediako ll Metrotvonline.com ll Ghana