Sachet Water Producers Protest Ban

Members of the Sekondi-Takoradi Agona Sachet Water Producers Association (STASWAPA) have indicated that the imposition of unfair levies and the alleged plan by government to ban the production of sachet water in the country could worsen the unemployment situation in the country. 

According to members of the association, the importance of sachet water production to the Ghana's economy was being undermined. 

They stressed that banning the production of sachet water would not only increase poverty in the country, but undermine government's efforts at making good drinking water available to the public. 

The members of the association, in collaboration with the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC), have therefore proposed innovative strategies to help improve the management of plastics in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis and the country at large. 

These were contained in a press release issued by members of the association and signed by the President of STASWAPA, Major Rex Nuamah (Rtd). 

The release noted that used plastics could be converted for the manufacture of sandals, raincoat and door mats, among others. 

It called on Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to undertake mass publicity campaign to sensitize the public on proper waste disposal and ensure the enforcement of by-laws on solid and liquid waste management. 

The release also suggested that the culture of segregating waste by types should be inculcated into the citizenry so that people would no longer dump all types of waste in one container. 

'This will make it possible for items such as used plastics, bottles, papers, metals to be collected separately for recycling,' the release indicated. 

It revealed that with the discovery of oil in the country, plastics, being a by-product of crude oil, would be in abundance. 

'Therefore proper management of waste plastic should be a great concern for the people of Ghana in order that the full benefits of the production of sachet water could be realized,' it noted.

From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi