Murtala Muhammed, the Minister-designate for Environment, Science, and Technology, has stated that banning the importation of plastic bags in Ghana is not a feasible solution at this time.
Instead, he advocates for a more comprehensive approach to managing plastic waste, one that involves dialogue and the development of sustainable alternatives.
Speaking before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on January 30, Muhammed expressed concern about the environmental impact of plastic waste and the indiscriminate disposal of plastics.
However, he stressed the importance of addressing the issue strategically and in phases.
“You don’t just ban because there’s a challenge, you need to be looking for alternatives,” Muhammed said. “So if you don’t have alternatives and you go ahead with the ban, the consequences will be dire.”
He proposed conducting a comprehensive study to explore viable alternatives and support the domestic industry in developing reusable containers and biodegradable packaging.
He pointed to the example of Rwanda, which implemented a similar initiative but first stabilised its system before enforcing the ban.
“What I think I will do is let’s have a comprehensive study on the issue. And find out the alternatives, and how we support our domestic industry to come out with, if you like, reusable containers, and biodegradable packaging. And these are the things other countries have done. Rwanda didn’t just ban, they came up with some of these things. They stabilised the system before banning it. So I think that is what I will do,” he concluded.
