GPHA, EPA sensitize fishing community on plastic pollution

The fight against the perennial plastic pollution in Ghana’s marine environment is on, with the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority resolved to leave its mark.

As part of recent efforts, officials of GPHA, on World Environment Day, met with the fishing community at the ABS Fishing Harbour in Sekondi to sensitize them to the dangers of plastic pollution in the marine environment.

They did this in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The Deputy Director, EPA, Kojo Oppong Mensah said “we must be responsible when it comes to the disposal of plastics.

We can also promote the use alternatives like paper in order to avoid the use of plastic which will generate more plastic within our system.

We are also promoting that the port together with the fishing communities are able to segregate their waste streams particularly plastic.

There are companies within the Western region that can purchase the plastics and recycle these plastics into forms and other use to reduce the plastic that we may have within our country or within the Western region.”

The Estate and Environment Manager at the Port of Takoradi, David Halm said

There have been instances where fishermen go to fish and all that they get is plastics and waste but it is a human problem that can be managed.

“So we are looking at creating a kind of awareness to see how we can contribute in managing that situation. It is the reason why we chose the fishing harbour this day to celebrate the World Environment Day,” he said.

The Albert Bosomtwi Sam Fishing Harbour Manager, Henry Oppong on his part pleaded with the general public to protect the land.

“We advise that we all dispose of waste at the right places such as the dust bins to keep our environment clean,” he advised.