By Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Effiakuma(WR) Aug. 29, GNA – The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), in collaboration with “Asa Nwura”, a waste management company has initiated a community payback plastic collection centre in the EffiaKuma community to curb the plastic waste menace in the Effia-Kwesimintsin and the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan area.
The project funded by the Ghana Recycling Initiative by Private enterprise would ultimately help in promoting responsible consumption and production especially at the point of the many end users scattered across the Country.
Mr. Seth Twum Akwaboah, the AGI Chief Executive Officer said plastic waste had become a lucrative source for wealth through alternative usage of such products by consumers.
He explained that the plastics could be turned into raw materials for products in the manufacturing and the road sector and stressed that plastics should not allowed to “swallow us as a people”, but make a conscious effort to collect and ensure rightful disposal.
Mr Akwaboah said currently, the AGI was collaborating with the CSIR to research more into alternative uses of the plastics and thus called on Ghanaians to stop dumping and littering with the resources to create environmental problems.
He said the Ghana Recycling Initiative by Private Enterprises would contribute in Data and Research, education and advocacy, Collection and segregation and form Multi-stakeholder collaboration for integrated sustainable waste management.
Mr Benjamin AgyinTurkson, the Chief Executive Officer of the Asa Nwura hoped that the coming into being of the facility would help to formalize collection, track and as well help increase earnings of collectors .
Mr. Basil Yaw Ampofo, the President of the Ghana Recycling Initiative by Private Enterprises said advancing the SDG12 on responsible production and consumption was critical to promoting green environment.
He therefore encouraged the community to patronize the centre, practise proper waste segregation and play a meaningful part in the quest to ensure cleaner communities adding, “We should avoid the” Borlabird attitude”to spreading waste and disease through improper disposal “.
Ms. Kate Cann, an Officer from the Environmental Health Unit of the Effia-Kwesimintsim Assembly noted how waste collection had become a toll on the assembly day to day activities and was happy that private collaborators were on board.
She added that the Assembly would follow up from time to time to ensure that proper things were being carried out.
Mr. George Ofosu-Amoako, an Officer from the Environmental Protection Agency said protecting the earth was key to lifelong living and sustainability.
He prayed that best practices would be followed in managing the centre to achieve the planned outcomes.
GNA