The minister nominee for Environment, Science, and Technology, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, has stated that it would not be advisable to immediately ban the use of plastic materials in the country without first finding an alternative.
He believes that the eradication of plastic usage can only be achieved once suitable alternatives are found and the transition is carried out gradually. He cautioned against imposing an immediate ban, as this could lead to undesirable outcomes.
“You don’t just ban something because there is a challenge. You need to look for alternatives. If you don’t have alternatives and proceed to impose a ban, the consequences may be dire,” he said when asked how he would address the country’s plastic waste challenges during his vetting in Parliament on Thursday, 30 January.
The Tamale Central MP suggested, “What I think I would do is conduct a comprehensive study on the issue, identify the alternatives, and explore how we can support our domestic industries to develop reusable containers.”
Mr Muhammed continued, “These are measures that other countries have taken. Rwanda didn’t just ban plastics; they implemented strategies to stabilize the system before moving forward with the ban.”
“I believe that is the approach I would take,” he emphasized.
Plastic waste is a significant contributor to climate change globally, and Ghana is no exception.
On many Ghanaian beaches and in populated areas, plastic waste is commonly found.
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