Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, Minister-designate for Environment, Science and Technology, used her parliamentary vetting on Thursday, August 27, 2026, to lay out a waste management vision built around the idea that Ghana's plastic problem is also an untapped economic opportunity.
Appearing before Parliament's Appointments Committee, the Klottey-Korle MP backed the government's January 1, 2027 deadline for banning the production, importation, distribution, sale and use of polystyrene foam products commonly known in Ghana as Styrofoam or takeaway packs.
She said the environmental risks posed by the widespread use and poor disposal of polystyrene could no longer be overlooked, insisting the ban's success would depend on firm, consistent enforcement.
"The dangers around the use of polystyrene cannot be glossed over, and it has to be done," she told the committee.
A Behavioural Shift, Not Just a Ban
Responding to questions from Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh on Ghana's plastic waste crisis, Dr Agyeman-Rawlings framed the problem as one of changed consumer habits over time. She recalled how, as a child, buying rice meant bringing your own pot rather than reaching for disposable packaging, and questioned when "putting plastic within plastic" became normal practice.
She acknowledged that reversing such habits would take time, but said the shift could be encouraged through a mix of incentives and penalties. She stressed that enforcement, not just legislation, would ultimately determine whether the ban succeeds.
Turning Waste Into Raw Material
Beyond enforcement, Dr Agyeman-Rawlings proposed a more constructive route: channelling government funding to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to develop biodegradable alternatives to conventional plastics using locally available crops such as cassava and hemp. She argued that Ghana possesses enough plant-based raw material to build an alternative industry, rather than relying on bans and enforcement alone to solve the plastic waste menace.
"What I believe can be done in addition to this is to channel some funding towards the CSIR, so that they can actually look into biological alternatives, for example hemp, for example cassava," she told the committee.
She described herself as personally invested in the plastic waste issue and said sector officials had already briefed her on the government's broader single-use plastics policy, with a wider ban on other single-use plastics expected to follow the polystyrene phase-out.
Galamsey and Environmental Enforcement
The nominee's vetting also touched on illegal small-scale mining, known locally as galamsey, a crisis long associated with mercury contamination of Ghana's water bodies and soil. Dr Agyeman-Rawlings called for an all-of-government and all-of-society approach to tackling illegal mining and the damage it has caused to the environment and to human life, positioning environmental enforcement including tighter monitoring of hazardous substances used in mining as a central plank of her agenda if confirmed.
What Comes Next
Her vetting comes amid a broader ministerial reshuffle by President John Dramani Mahama, following the death of the substantive Environment, Science and Technology Minister, Murtala Mohammed. The Appointments Committee is expected to submit its report to the full House, which will determine whether Dr Agyeman-Rawlings is confirmed for the portfolio.
If approved, her tenure will be watched closely on two fronts: whether the January 2027 polystyrene deadline holds despite pushback from businesses reliant on Styrofoam packaging, and whether her "waste is a resource" framing translates into a functioning cassava- or hemp-based alternatives industry rather than remaining an aspiration.
Mustapha Bature Sallama
Medical/Science communicator, Private Investigator, Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Analysis,United States Institute of Peace (USIP), [email protected] +233555275880
Sources
Graphic Online, "I'll channel funding to CSIR to develop biodegradable alternatives to plastics from cassava, hemp Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings" https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ill-channel-funding-to-csir-to-develop-biodegradable-alternatives-to-plastics-from-cassava-hemp-zanetor-agyeman-rawlings.html
The Ghanaian Chronicle, "Zanetor supports ban on Styrofoam" https://thechronicle.com.gh/zanetor-supports-ban-of-styrofoam/
GBC Ghana Online, "Zanetor demands strict enforcement of Styrofoam takeaway ban" https://www.gbcghanaonline.com/news/zanetor-on-ban-on-styrofoam/2026/
GBC Ghana Online, "Parliament vets Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, Mahama Ayariga" https://www.gbcghanaonline.com/news/politics/zanetor-ayariga-vetting/2026/
MyJoyOnline, "Appointments Committee to vet Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings on Thursday" https://www.myjoyonline.com/appointments-committee-to-vet-zanetor-agyeman-rawlings-on-thursday/
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