It’s time to make Ghana a beacon of hope for environmental protection— Naa Koryoe

A Level 400 Student at UniMAC, Patience Naa Koryoe Tetteh, has called on government to take a decisive stand on the formulation of a policy to ban single use of plastics in the country.

That, she said, would make the country a beacon of hope joining its peers such as Rwanda and Kenya to champion environmental protection in the African continent.

Speaking at the launch of the UniMAC’s digital lobbying campaign dubbed UniMAC Plastic Purge with the hashtag #BanSingleUsePlasticsGH at the X space, Ms Tetteh stated that the environmental impact of single use plastic in the country was glaring.

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“Now, if Rwanda and Kenya have done it, it means that we can do it as a country. So, it is time to act, and the time is now. The ban of single use plastic is no longer debate. It has become an environmental necessity in a national concern.
“If we do not take decisive action, as we have gathered here today, we would be fishing more plastic than actual fishes. This means that when our fishermen go fishing, they will be bringing us more of our plastic bottles and our sachet rubbers than salmon,” she said.

She said it was important for the government to take steps towards ensuring that the country was clean and healthier for the future generation.
“Ghana is already known to be the gateway to Africa, so it is time to make Ghana a beacon of environmental responsibility in Africa. So, I would end by saying that we should all say no to single use plastic and embrace a more sustainable future,” she added.

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About the Campaign to End Single-Use Plastics in Ghana.

The campaign, spearheaded by Level 400 Public Relations (PR) and Marketing students offering the Government Relations and Public Affairs (CSPR 409) course, seeks to create awareness and advocate for stronger policy action against single-use plastics in the country. The campaign will leverage stakeholder engagement, media advocacy, and largely social media activism to influence public opinion and drive legislative change.

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Key objectives of the campaign include:

• Lobbying for policy action; engaging government regulators and legislative bodies to strengthen policies on single-use plastics.
• Media and public awareness; utilizing digital media tools, and persuasive messaging to shape public opinion and drive action.
• Social media advocacy; mobilizing citizens through digital platforms to amplify the campaign’s reach and encourage sustainable practices.

As part of the campaign, students will collaborate with policymakers, civil society organizations, environmental activists, and influencers to drive discourse on the urgent need for action. A series of online engagements, including webinars, X Spaces, and multimedia storytelling, will educate the public to effect immediate decision-making for environmental sustainability.