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Environmental Economist calls on government and stakeholders to facilitate massive public education on solutions to plastic pollution
An Environmental Economist, Dr Kwaku Adu has called on government and stakeholders to facilitate massive public education on solutions to plastic pollution and clean environment to create awareness among Ghanaians.
According to him, there was inadequate education on environmental bye-laws that have been made to protect the environment “but these bye-laws only remained on the shelves of the institutions mandated to cater for the environment with less education on them among the citizenry.”
He said the situation has contributed to many pollutions in communities and called on all stakeholders to help resource the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) to consistently educate Ghanaians to create the awareness and enable them keep clean environment as well as properly dispose off waste, especially plastics.
Dr Adu was speaking at a forum organised by the Okyeman Environment Foundation in collaboration with the University College of Agriculture and Environmental Studies (UCAES), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Project Abroad to mark this year’s World Environment Day.
The forum which had the theme “Solutions to Plastic Pollution” brought together students, members of Civil Society Organisation (CSOs), Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and individual resource persons to share insights on tackling plastic pollution.
Later, a tree planting exercise, as part of Forest Okyeman project, under the UNDP and led by the Coordinator, Daniel Osei Frimpong was organised for participants.
Dr Adu also indicated that when government and other stakeholders were able to facilitate adequate education on the issue, the implementation or enforcement by the security agencies would be made easier.
“Ghanaians after being adequately educated would become more responsible to the environment and if they do not obey the laws, they know they will be punished for it,” he said.
Dr Adu revealed that according to data from the UNDP, annually over 4 million tonnes of plastics were produced worldwide and less than 10 percent were recycled, adding that 19 to 23 million tonnes found their way into our water bodies annually.
He said the situation was worrying and called stakeholders to ensure that issues on plastic pollution and clean environment were practically taught in schools from the basic to the tertiary levels, adding it should not just be theory based but practically taught to enable students own their environment and be responsible towards it.
Speaking on tree planting, he said the Green Ghana project should be restructured into individual or community tree planting projects and groups as well as individuals should be assigned to particular trees to cater for them rather than mass planting where after planting some trees cannot be accounted for.
For his part, the Executive Secretary of the Okyeman Environment Foundation, Kofi Gyimah Amoako-Gyimah stated that plastics caused environmental pollution, and added that aside championing environmental conservation, “there was the need to also conserve our cleanliness and sanity and therefore plastic waste management is another way of dealing with the issues of the environment,”
He revealed that plastic pollution was causing marine ecology to be wiped out as well as leading to gutters being chocked and people losing their lives and properties as a result to flooding due to choked gutters.
He said, as part of the annual celebration of the Okyeman Environment week, the Foundation has partnered with the UCAES and UNDP among others to hold the discussion where students were brought at the forefront to discuss ways to beat plastic solutions “so that the ideas generated would inform policy makers and all others on how we can manage this issue of plastic pollution.”
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Bunso
Pic caption
Dr Kwaku Adu, fourth counting from left and Kofi Gyimah Amosko Gyimah,third count from right in group photo with participants at the forum
The Ghana Tourism Development Company, GTDC, under the leadership of Prof.Kobby Mensah has launched GTDC Campus Tourism Office at the University of Ghana.
The initiative aims to promote educational and domestic tourism by providing structured campus tour experiences showcasing key heritage sites, including the Archaeology Museum and the School of Performing Arts.
It will also offer students their first travel experience across the continent and inculcate in them love to visit Ghana’s heritage sites.
Addressing the gathering at the launch yesterday, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, described tourism as a vehicle for education and heritage preservation, stressing that the sector must inspire citizens to value and protect national culture for future generations.
The minister highlighted tourism’s connection to disciplines such as history, the arts, economics and environmental science.
The minister further noted that the private sector is the engine of tourism economy, adding that the engines require fuel, which is talents.” by investing in these young people today, you are securing the quality, the innovation and competitiveness of our own industry for tomorrow.
She added that the establishment of the office represents a deliberate investment in the intellectual capital of the country.
The GTDC boss, Prof.Kobby Mensah, said,”at GTDC, we believe that if our tourism has to be sustainable, we have to promote domestic tourism and a very big part of it is getting students to appreciate tourism and helping them to organise tours.”
He added that the University of Ghana itself is a huge heritage site which must be explored.
Prof.Kobby Mensah noted that the initiative, which is one of many to be established across the country, is a joint partnership between GTDC and University of Ghana.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof.Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, said the University is a custodian of heritage which goes beyond the structures and welcomed the establishment of the first Campus Tourism Office.
She was optimistic that the office would be put to good use to achieve the intended purpose.
The launch brought together Stakeholders reaffirming their commitment to nurturing future tourism and hospitality professionals.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Ghana has officially accepted an invitation to serve as Guest Country at Burkina Faso’s 22nd National Culture Week in Bobo-Dioulasso from April 22 to May 2, 2026.
The invitation was extended by Burkina Faso’s Minister of Communication, Culture, Arts and Tourism, Gilbert Noël Ouédraogo, accompanied by the Ambassador of Burkina Faso to Ghana, H.E. David Kabré.
Receiving the delegation, Abla Dzifa Gomashie reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to deepening cultural diplomacy and strengthening historic ties between the two nations.
She noted that the festival will create opportunities for young creatives, expand exhibition platforms and promote commercial exchange within the creative sector.
The event will feature cultural performances, a community village and gastronomy fair, an arts market, literary engagements, and a craft and trade fair.
Ghana’s participation is expected to further strengthen bilateral relations between John Dramani Mahama and Ibrahim Traoré, while fostering collaboration within the creative ecosystems of both countries.
