The ECOWAS Parliament’s delocalized Joint Committees on Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources, Energy and Mines, and Infrastructure held a stakeholders’ engagement (Town Hall Meeting) to address pressing issues of plastic waste management.
The town hall meeting in Winneba, part of a three-day program, was themed “Plastic Waste Management: Challenges and Prospects in Implementing Community Policies.”
Insights and decisions from the meeting aim to shape regional policies and actions to combat plastic pollution.
To the committee, the event was an opportunity to showcase local initiatives, learn from West African neighbours, and implement solutions replicable across the region.
In a welcome address, the Municipal Chief Executive for Effutu Traditional Area, Alhaji Zubairu Kassim noted that the forum is a significant first step since solutions to this global challenge require a systemic approach considering various pollution sources and interventions at different levels.
“That’s why all of us – the public sector, private sector, civil society, and people’s organizations – must work together and coordinate our efforts to address this challenge. We look forward to a fruitful engagement as we learn, share ideas, and remind ourselves of how to tackle this issue,” he said.
Delivering the official statement, 3rd Deputy Speaker of ECOWAS and Leader of the Ghana delegation, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, elaborated that the meeting theme is a call to urgent action, reflecting a shared responsibility to safeguard the environment, health, and future generations.
“Like many others, our coastal town of Winneba has witnessed the devastating effects of plastic waste. Our once pristine beaches are now littered with debris, our waterways choked with plastic, and our marine life under threat. This crisis extends far beyond aesthetics; it impacts our economy, health, and environment.”
The 3rd Deputy Speaker reiterated his “Five Point Action Plan” suggested to ECOWAS, emphasizing the need to draw inspiration from the resilience and innovation of the West African spirit.
“Let us draw inspiration from our resilience and innovation. Let us remember the words of our great poet, Kofi Awoonor, and commit to addressing the tough questions posed by the sea and the environment. Let this town hall meeting start a movement against plastic pollution, creating a legacy of environmental stewardship for future generations,” he urged.
Chairman of the Agriculture Committee, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, seconded the Deputy Speaker’s submission and urged women to contribute by separating plastic waste at home for appropriate disposal and recycling.
He expressed delight at the efforts in Ghana to address the problem gradually, especially after visiting the Accra Compost Recycling Plant.
The legislators paid a field visit to the plant to observe the recycling of liquid and solid waste, particularly plastics. They witnessed the state-of-the-art waste sorting and composting facility, the first of its kind in West Africa, with a processing capacity of 600 metric tons per day. The plant converts urban waste into reusable products such as organic manure, plastic pellets, and recyclable materials for both local and international markets.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Energy Committee, Senator Fanta Conté, called on ECOWAS governments to turn the situation into job creation opportunities. He suggested registering SMEs to handle plastic collection and deliver them to companies for processing into other products.
By: Mary Quartey/newsalertgh.com
