The Minister for Environment, Science, and Technology (MEST), Hon. Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening Ghana’s plastic waste management sector. Speaking during a visit to selected plastic recycling companies under the Establishing a Circular Economy Framework for the Plastic Sector in Ghana (CEF-PS) project, he emphasized the need to expand recycling facilities across the country and ensure a fair regional distribution of resources.
Dr. Murtala Muhammed noted that while grants and support have been extended to plastic waste management entities, most of these beneficiaries are concentrated in Accra. Out of 11 applicants, eight were approved, with only one facility located outside the capital in the Central Region. He questioned why no such initiatives exist in the Ashanti Region or Northern Ghana, despite the nationwide plastic waste crisis.
“Accra generates about 60% of Ghana’s plastic waste, but that doesn’t mean other regions should be left out. We must ensure that facilities are distributed more equitably,” he stated.
The Minister also expressed concern over Ghana’s low plastic waste recycling rate, revealing that only 10% of plastic waste is currently processed. He stressed that the remaining 90% contributes significantly to environmental degradation and called for increased investments to scale up recycling efforts.
Beyond environmental sustainability, Dr. Murtala Muhammed highlighted the economic benefits of plastic recycling, particularly in job creation. He emphasized the need for gender-inclusive employment opportunities, ensuring that more women benefit from the waste management sector.
“We live in a country where women make up the majority of the population. Our policy interventions must reflect this by prioritizing employment opportunities for women in the recycling industry,” he added.
The Minister assured stakeholders that following his tour of the recycling facilities, strategic decisions would be made to expand financial and technical support to more companies engaged in plastic waste management. He commended the efforts of existing recycling businesses and reiterated the government’s commitment to promoting a circular economy for sustainable development.
