Steering Board on Plastic Action Partnership starts work
The Steering Board of National Plastic Action Partnership, the highest decision-making body of the National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP) has firmed up a number of actions throughout the year to develop an action plan.
At the end of its inaugural meeting in Accra on Wednesday, the apex body agreed to use the months of February to May to gather both primary and secondary data on plastics and evaluate to identify the gaps to develop an effective and efficient plan to create a circular economy.
Ultimately, the action plans scheduled to be developed by December would also seek to prevent and end the leakage of plastic waste into the environment, boost job creation and livelihoods, and accelerate national progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
Madam Kristin Hughes, Director of the Global Plastic Action Partnership and member of the Executive Committee at the World Economic Forum, briefing the Media at the end of the meeting, said the action plan would also harmonize all on-going plastic interventions to make it easy to upscale and also avoid duplication.
Along the line during the formulation of the action plans, she explained that there would be discussions on the kind of investments needed to achieve its goal of addressing plastic waste and pollution.
“Ghana is poised to develop one of the world’s most ambitious roadmaps to tackle plastic waste and pollution. Together with all stakeholders, we have created a platform that draws on the diverse leadership and expertise to set out a concrete plan of action for the Ghana National Plastic Action Partnership,” she said.
“We are poised to deliver our goals of creating a strong knowledge base on plastic pollution in Ghana; developing a national roadmap for eliminating plastic leakage and transitioning to a fully circular economy for plastics in the near future; and matching high-potential solutions, from small- and medium-sized enterprises to large infrastructure projects, with the financial resources that are needed to boost sustainable plastics management.”
Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, said the Government of Ghana, was committed to establishing the necessary foundation for the transition to a circular economy ensuring sustainable plastics management.
He stated that MESTI would work diligently to ensure that the NPAP identified and engaged and supported entrepreneurs and emerging innovators in the sustainable plastics ecosystems to grow and create jobs while simultaneously cleaning the environment.
The Government, he said had priorities NPAP to support science, technology, and innovation to help Ghanaians commercialize their products and business models and mobilize investments to establish the necessary infrastructure for plastics recovery and recycling and to support Ghanaians to open new businesses.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng said the government would collaborate with industry to develop an extended producer responsibility scheme to support communities with waste management and recycling infrastructure and know-how.
They would also support the NPAP to lead a nation-wide communication, education, and awareness-raising campaign to enable people to understand the importance of sustainable plastics management and to learn practical ways to contribute to the government’s ambition of a plastics circular economy in Ghana.
Madam Philomena Tang, Managing Director of Nestle Ghana who was nominated to be the co-chair of the Steering Board of the NPAP, said the discussions and assigning of roles and responsibilities showed that the group was anxious to achieve its goal.
“We will work to ensure that the plans will materialize to develop sustainably and protect nature for the next generation,” she added.
Source: GNA