…as GPHA introduced best environmental practices in its operations
Head of Legal and Compliance at Meridian Ports Services (MPS), Frank Ebo Brown, has encouraged Ghanaians to demonstrate a high level of responsibility toward the use and disposal of plastics, as plastics result in long-term damage to the environment if they are not used and disposed of properly.
He said, Ghanaians need to change their attitude to enhance environmental sustainability efforts.
Meridian Port Services Ltd. (MPS) has joined many well-meaning organisations around the world to mark the 2023 edition of World Environment Day.
The Day saw an implementation of comprehensive awareness creation exercises by a cross- section of MPS staff in the Port community.
Speaking at the session in Tema, Mr. Ebo Brown indicated that: “We need to change our attitudes and avoid single-use plastics to reduce our waste. When we start to look at this approach, we save the environment.
“The country is paying for this unsustainable use of plastics with pollution of the sea. The fisherfolk in and around Tema have interacted with us and described how these plastics are destroying their livelihood. They go to sea and their nets catch plastic instead of fish,” he said.
Mr. Ebo Brown continued: “We ought to understand that over the years this will not be sustainable, and so we must change our attitudes and be disciplined. We need to be ambassadors of this course and educate our community members about the effects from these irresponsible ways of plastic disposal”.
General Manager, Estates and Environment-GPHA, James Benjamin Gaisie, commended MPS environmental initiatives while elaborating on the Port Authority’s actions to improve environmental sustainability within the port environment.
He said having identified the benefits of effective waste management to the environment, GPHA has taken the initiative to institute industrial best practices to harness those benefits.
“We have adopted three key strategies of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle for the offices and operational activities of GPHA. This is made possible by introducing the waste-segregation programme to reduce the volume of waste sent to dump-sites. This also saves costs by reducing the budget,” he said.
Mr. Gaisie noted the Authority works with EPA for further waste processing where applicable, adding that the Port Authority is happy to see MPS and other stakeholders engaged in this effort to rid our environment of plastic waste.
He entreated all port users to use plastics wisely, and practice effective waste management by segregating waste both in their work environments and homes.
The session also saw in attendance key representatives of stakeholders – including Mr. Emmanuel Tukpeyi, Principal Marine Officer, Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA); Mr. Kwabena Biritwum, Deputy Director of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and Mr. Wisdom Aditsey, Metropolitan Environmental Health Officer of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) – who provided the background on rising rates of plastic pollution within Tema and surrounding communities, and shared some action plans being undertaken by respective government establishments to combat the threat of plastic pollution.
MPS Environmental Actions
MPS has through many actions shown a long-term commitment by engaging in transformative actions geared toward environmental sustainability in its operations and within its community.
The MPS Terminal 3 Facility is labelled a Green Terminal because environmental considerations were incorporated from its construction to operational phase. It currently runs a highly digitised operational process that ensures the reduction of its carbon footprint.
There has been realisation of a Robust Integrated Management System (IMS) and environmental monitoring programme. Parameters included air quality; noise, marine water and sediment quality; and biodiversity monitoring – helping to detect early, prevent and minimise emission levels in port.
The company also runs a Sea Turtle Biodiversity Conservation and Habitat Improvement Programme which sees to the management of a Sea turtle Hatchery that has led to protection and release of over 80,000 turtles back into the sea.
The programme also has a Community Environmental Awareness Raising Programme that ensures collaboration and engagement with stakeholders and communities for continuous improvement in environmental protection and sustainability.
The session ended with departmental heads sharing varied points on positive ways to combat plastic pollution.
