Waste Management; Gov’t urged to partner informal sector to fight environmental issues

The President of Informal Waste Ghana, Madam Lydia Bamfo has called on the government and academia to collaborate with the informal sector in the quest to make Ghana Eco friendly to everyone.

Waste management remains one of the biggest challenges in Ghana and Africa. Incineration and plastic Pollution are consequential environmental issues that have negative impacts on the health and well-being of individuals and the planet.

At a media conference on Anti-Incineration and Plastic Pollution organized by Green Africa Youth Organisation(GAYO) and its partners, Madam Lydia Bamfo charged the government to be truthful to investors coming to Ghana to do plastic business.

According to her, the informal sector is doing its best in plastic waste management hence needs the government's effort to make it more effective.

Per the current environmental menace the country faced, Madam Lydia Bamfo stressed the country needs more manufacturers who can turn both plastic and organic waste into useful elements.

Mabel Laryea, Assistant Project Coordinator, GAYO underscored that the media conference was in line with GAYO Anti-incineration and Plastic Pollution Campaign.

Again, the conference seeks to examine the effects of incineration and plastic pollution in Ghana and the role of the media in bridging the existing knowledge gaps.

Ms Mabel Laryea called on the media to speak more often about climate change and its impact on the environment and how we all can play a role to fight against it.

She believes that the media is the strongest voice in every country that intermediate for both the government and the people said, the fight against climate change and plastic pollution is a collective responsible.

"The government and the NGOs can not do it all alone. I will like to use this medium to charge the media o support the campaign to propagate the news of plastic pollution and how to mitigate it in the country," she said.

Victor Kotey, Deputy Head of the Waste Management Department, Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) urged Ghanaians to switch to the use of paper bags and baskets like it was done in the olden days.

"Let's go back to how we do it years back when we carry baskets and paper bags to the market to buy foodstuffs. I believe by so doing we can reduce the use of plastic in the country," he said.

He also urged people who sell already-cooked food should start thinking of using paper bags than the use of plastics

About GAYO:
Green Africa Youth Organization GAYO is a a youth-led gender-balanced advocacy group that focuses largely on environmental sustainability and community development.