The Founder of Project Hope Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Mr. Christian Owusu Amoaku has advised the citizenry particularly the youth to cultivate the habit of disposing the usage of plastic consumables and other solid household items into litter bins in their respective jurisdictions.
He said plastic waste such as bottles and food packs have become a menace in our surroundings therefore it must not be indiscriminately thrown away but rather put in bins for easy collection.
He explained that plastic waste can be sold to companies for recycling for the production of other plastic related items and pointed out that it will lead to massive reduction of waste in our communities.
Mr. Christian Owusu Amoaku gave the advice at a coastal watch plastic bootcamp programme for the youth from the Basic, Junior and Senior High schools in Accra under the theme “Enhancing awareness and knowledge on ocean conservation and pollution to produce knowledgeable and sustainability-minded citizens to fight marine plastic-pollution”.
Participating schools were Nii Amugi Avenue Basic School, All Nations Hillside Academy, Osu Salem Presby Boys JHS, Osu Manhean Basic School, Liberty Avenue 3 Primary, Additrom Preparatory school, St. Barnabas Anglican Basic School, Osu Salem 1 Basic school and the Mantse Tackie 1 Primary School.
The rest were Gray Memorial Basic School, Osu Presbyterian Girls Basic school, Calvary Methodist 2, St. Joseph R/C Basic School, Mantse Tackie 3 Primary/KG, Calvary Methodist 1, Liberty Avenue 1 and 4 primary and the Bethany Mission International School all in the Korle Klotey Municipality.
It was organized by Project Hope Ghana and funded by the Small Grants Programme, UNDP and showcased the exhibition of eco-friendly waste plastic bags, wallets, plastic bottle bin, plastic related items, workshop, painting, upcycling among others.
The purpose is to sensitise the youth on the collection and segregation of plastic waste and create also the awareness of the dangers associated with the said waste in the communities.
Mr. Christian Amoaku added that as part of the efforts to keep the environment clean as well as school surroundings, Project Hope Ghana have engaged a cross section of schools in the formation of 17 Ocean clubs to education the youth on the methods and mechanisms of plastic waste.
According to him, the move have empowered them to become “youth volunteers” in the campaign to conserve the environment from waste pollution adding that it has brought an attitudinal change on the on the need of environmental cleanliness.
He further added that plastic waste can create jobs and generate wealth when properly managed and separated from other solid waste and explained however that it will lead to the reduction of the filth in the cities and the communities as well as the schools.
For his part, Project Manager for Project Hope Ghana, Mr. Carl Selorm Dovi said there are enormous benefits in the recycling of plastic waste saying companies purchase and recycle for the production of plastic materials and consumables and other commercial purposes.
“Project Hope Ghana will continue to scale up its education on environmental cleanliness through programmes such as art competition, human interest songs, formation of ocean clubs, business incubators on plastic waste among others across the various schools in the country”, he said.
In a related development, Additrom Preparatory school received a trophy and a certificate for emerging as winners of a plastic waste competition held for the various schools.
Source : Ben LARYEA
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