Ban Single Use Of Plastic—Group Petitions Akufo-Addo

The Bureau of Marine/Maritime Protection – Ghana (BMMP-Ghana) is asking President Akufo-Addo to ban the single use of plastic because it is one of the major cause of economic loss to the country.

In a petition to the President, the group noted that the single use plastics also poses a grave threat to marine life, public health, livestock, wildlife, and also contribute to increased pollution levels on and in waters.

According to the group, banning it will help improve public health, create decent jobs, address climate change (through the improvement of marine ecology), increase revenue and protect life on land and sea.

Read full petition below:

7^th June, 2019

His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana

The Jubilee House

Accra – Ghana.

Dear Mr President,

PETITION: BAN SINGLE USE PLASTIC. IT IS A CAUSE OF ECONOMIC LOSS.

Your Excellency, permit us to please bring to you, a petition which bothers on a matter of critical national interest with regard to single use plastic pollution.

Bureau of Marine/Maritime Protection – Ghana (BMMP-Ghana) a non-Profit civil society initiative formed by public spirited seafarers and marine/maritime puritans contributing to the #BeatPollution GURUS initiative – A pledged voluntarily group has put forward this petition in line with the United Nation Environmental Program: Beat Pollution towards a pollution- free planet

Your Excellency, single use plastics is a serious cause of economic loss and poses a grave threat to marine life, public health, livestock, wildlife, and also contribute to increased pollution levels on and in waters. Plastic waste also clogs drainage systems (causing floods) and seriously affects Fisheries, Tourism and Recreation, Energy, sea transport and the marine ecosystem. The situation is pervasive and has serious negative economic impact.

Your Excellency, this issue is a matter of concern to the Bureau of Marine/ Maritime Protection - Ghana because almost all our cities major drains flow into the ocean which is a valuable natural source and conduit of most of Ghana’s economic activities. For example, over 2.6 million Ghanaians representing 10 per cent of the population are dependent on the fisheries sector for livelihoods, and over 3.5 billion people worldwide depend on the ocean as their primary source of food.

Your Excellency, research published in Science Advance in 2015 confirms that about 9 per cent of all plastic waste ever generated had been recycled, while 12 per cent was incinerated and 80 per cent is sitting in the natural environment and get washed through our rivers and drains into the ocean.

Your Excellency, single use plastics is Ghana’s sanitation problem. Plastics constitutes more than 80 per cent of waste generated in our homes, markets and other public places with biodegradable and chemical waste making up the other 20 per cent.

According to our sanitation ministry, Ghana spends $290 million each year on sanitation. In 2018 world Economic Forum, a researcher indicated that marine plastics pollution cost the world up to $ 2.5 billion united state dollars a year. They again indicated that damage caused by plastics presence in the ocean cost about $13 billion annually in losses for tourism and recreation, shipping and fishing.

United Nation advised that there is already 5 trillion pieces of plastic in the ocean, whiles 8 million tons enters the ocean every year, and if we keep producing and failing to properly dispose it, plastic will outweigh fish in the ocean by 2050.

Your Excellency, the Ghana fishery sector plays an important role as it contributes significantly to the national economic development objectives relative to employment, livelihood, foreign exchange earnings, food security and poverty reduction. The fishery industry, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, employs estimated 10% of the country’s population which represents about 2.6 million people.

Plastic pollution in the world’s oceans costs society billions of dollars every year in damages and lost resources, as indicated through research. Banning it will help improve public health, create decent jobs, address climate change (through the improvement of marine ecology), increase revenue and protect life on land and sea.

Your Excellency, Uganda, recently became the 34^th country to ban single use plastic (BBC). France, Italy, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania and many big cities in USA, Australia and United Kingdom have banned single use plastic bags. Some countries have placed a tax on plastic, which has produced some promising results, but banning single use plastic carrier bags remains a better solution over taxation.

Your Excellency, We trust in your commitment to the progress of Ghana and the citizenry. All of us have the responsibility to advocate for a bold pollution beating commitment so that we can bequeath a pollution free planet for our children and unborn generations.

Finally, permit us to wish you God’s guidance and blessings.

Thank you.

[email protected]

Contact person: Ajerigo James Akubilla

0241245666

With consideration

Bureau of Marine/Maritime Protection- Ghana team & the signatories of the petition.

Ajerigo James Akubilla……………………………....Director……………………………………………

Ivan Kwetey Nartey…………………………………..Secretary………………………………………....

Eric Antwi Bosiako……………………………………Member…………………………………………..

Abraham Addotey Bulley……………………………Director………………………………………....

Asaana Alhassan ………………………………………..Member…………………………………………