Obuasi: Obuasi Secondary Technical wins 2023 World Environment Day Debate

Obuasi Senior High Technical School on Thursday, 1st June, 2023 beat Christ the King Catholic Senior High School to emerge winners of this year’s World Environment Day debate competition held in Obuasi.

The debate which was organised by AngloGold Ashanti Ghana, Obuasi Mine in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Ghana Education Service was on the topic: “Single-use plastics should be banned to reduce pollution."

After intriguing arguments between the two competing schools on the topic of the day, the judges pronounced Obuasi Senior High Technical School who stood for the motion, winners of the competition with 75 points as they presented their arguments with factual evidence and convincing speeches, while CKC placed 2nd with 64 points, speaking against the motion.

The Obuasi Municipal Director of Education George Alfred Koomson in an interview after the competition lauded the two schools for putting up a stellar performance throughout the competition. He said banning single-use plastics was important in protecting the environment from pollution.

"I believe that lessons from this debate competition shouldn't be about lip service. We should all make sure we are able to implement the lessons learnt to protect the environment from pollution," he stated.

Mr. Koomson said prior to the debate, the Education Directorates of the Obuasi Municipal and the Obuasi East District teamed up with AngloGold Ashanti to implement a beautification project which involves plastics in schools. " The motive was to prove to the students that plastic waste could be useful in decorating the environment," he added.

On his part, the Obuasi Area Head of the Environmental Protection Agency Prempeh Adarkwa Yiadom touched on activities lined up for this year's world environment day scheduled for Monday, 5th June 2023. He said the quiz competition was important in sensitizing the school children on plastic waste management.

He said he remained optimistic that lessons drawn from the debate will lead to attitudinal change regarding plastic waste management.

Celebrated globally on June 5 every year, World Environment day is a day set aside by the United Nations (UN) to inspire worldwide awareness and action to protect the environment. The theme for this year's celebration is "Beat Plastic Pollution" and will be marked in Obuasi with a grand durbar at the AGA Clubhouse at Wawase.