Australian High Commissioner to Ghana gets drenched in rain as he cleans dirty Laboma beach

The Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Gregory Andrews, has joined the Ghana Wildlife Society, over 100 volunteers and other partner sanitation agencies to clean Laboma Beach in Accra.

The clean-up exercise forms part of activities to mark September 19 as World Clean Up Day 2020.

The diplomat who seems to have a peculiar interest in the Ghanaian society was deeply involved in dredging a filthy pond at the shores and clearing rubbish at the Laboma Beach.

Even the heavy morning rains could not stop him from vigorously taking part in the exercise which he widely campaigned for on his social media platforms days before the event.

The High Commissioner went deep into the choked pond to fish out plastic waste and other dirty objects to make way for the stagnant water to flow into the sea.

In a brief interaction after the exercise, he told freelance journalist and vlogger, Selorm Helen, that he is passionate about the environment and would, therefore, do his part in creating a safer planet to safeguard human lives and that of animals.

He reiterated the Australian Government’s commitment to preserving nature, a reason the manufacturing and use of most plastic products have been banned.

The High Commissioner expressed worry over plastic pollution, a global issue which affects the climate and quality of life.

He called the general public to action and advised against littering, especially at beaches to save lives.

“I came here to hashtag World Clean Up Day because I care deeply about the environment. Actually, plastic was only invented about 10 years before I was born but there is so much plastic in the environment now and it is harming nature and it’s also started to harm us as humans because it gets into the food chain. So, I feel really passionate about creating a safer planet for the future,” he said.

“The Australian government is committed and has really good policies in place to protect nature and many state governments in Australian for example banned plastic bags,” he disclosed.

Gregory Andrews, yesterday, presented his letters of credence to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to formerly begin his ambassadorial duties as Australian High Commissioner to Ghana.

Prior to this, the envoy has been enjoying his stay in Ghana as he shares his day-to-day social routine with the world on social media.

He won the hearts of many Ghanaians with his humble lifestyle which includes getting a neat haircut at local barbershops, patronising made-in-Ghana goods such as African print clothes.



World Cleanup Day is an annual global social action programme aimed at combating the global solid waste problem, including the problem of marine debris. It is coordinated by the Estonian organization Let's Do It! World.

Louisa Kabobah, the Conservation Education Officerr for Ghana Wildlife Society says Laboma Beach is a nesting site for Sea turtles, a reason it was chosen for the clean-up.

She said, sea turtles are critically endangered, “so it’s very necessary that we come around to clean up the beach so that we prevent them from being entangled by these plastics.”

She urged Ghanaians to actively get involved in the campaign for a safer planet by keeping the environment clean.