At a delocalized meeting of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources/Energy, Mining/Infrastructure of the ECOWAS Parliament held in Winneba, Ghana, plastic waste management took center stage as experts canvased for better strategies to harness its potential for regional economic growth.
In a powerful address at the event, the Ghanaian Speaker of the Parliament, Honorable Alban Bagbin called for drastic measures, warning that if not tackled appropriately could lead to global environmental crises in West Africa.
He stresses that plastic waste has reached critical levels that require urgent attention.
Bagbin while speaking on the theme, “Plastic Waste Management: Challenges and Prospects in Implementing Community Policy.” Said it has been exacerbated by rapid urbanization, population growth, and changing consumption habits.
He noted that in 2020, the West African coastal countries consumed an estimated 7.9 million tons of plastic, a figure projected to soar to 12 million tons by 2026.
Revealing that only 20 percent of this waste is recycled or properly managed, leaving a staggering 80 percent to pollute the environment.
“We must share knowledge, experiences and best practices to overcome these challenges and champion the adoption of common regional standards.”
Bagbin called for collective action and regional cooperation to deal with weak policy and infrastructural gaps crippling economic growth in the region.