- stakeholders converge to deliberate a sustainable future
The Environmental Sustainability Summit (ESS) 2025 opens this morning at Alisa Hotel in Accra, drawing together leading figures from academia, civil society, the private sector and international development organisations to confront the growing plastic waste crisis facing the country.
Organised by B&FT, this year’s summit is held under the theme ‘Ending plastic waste in Ghana: A sustainable future for all’ and is scheduled to commence promptly at 9:00am.
The summit arrives at a time of intensifying public concern over the nation’s environmental resilience and waste management capacity.
According to the World Bank, Ghana generates approximately 1.1 million tonnes of plastic waste annually – yet recycles only five percent of that volume. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has reported that over 250,000 tonnes of plastic waste leak into the environment each year, contributing to severe flooding in urban areas, blocking drainage systems and polluting freshwater resources.
The issue has recently drawn national political attention. President John Dramani Mahama, speaking at the National Tree Planting Day launch, announced his intention of banning single-use plastics altogether.
“One of the worst polluters is Styrofoam plastics, where you go and buy your food and they put it in that pack, then when you finish eating you just dump it. That is one of the biggest polluters. And so, we are going to ban the importation and production of Styrofoam plastics,” he said.
“We have to use paper packaging or aluminium foil for our food. I am informing manufacturers and importers of Styrofoam that the Ministry of Environment is soon going to ban the importation and production of Styrofoam in Ghana,” the president added.
Commenting ahead of the summit, Dr. Daniel Anim Prempeh, Director of Operations-B&FT, said the event forms part of the newspaper’s broader strategy to convene critical stakeholders around urgent policy and development issues.
“The ESS is more than just another conference – it is a platform for unlocking ideas and influencing policies that matter. We are proud to provide a stage where science, policy and business meet to shape solutions for environmental sustainability,” he said.
He stressed the summit’s potential to foster institutional coordination and spark practical commitments to reform.
The summit will be graced by Dr. Murtala Muhammed, Minister of Environment, Science & Technology, as special guest of honour.
Other speakers will include Yaw Attah Arhin, the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Technical Specialist at World Vision Ghana, who will bring extensive experience from the development sector. Dr. Rosemary Akolaa, a senior academic at the University of Environment & Sustainable Development, is expected to provide a scientific perspective on environmental policy and ecological degradation.
Professor Chris Gordon, Environmental Scientist and former Director-Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies at the University of Ghana, will also speak; drawing on decades of research and advisory work in the environmental space.
Other speakers include Nana Akosua Korang Agyare, Advocacy Coordinator and Trainer at Thinking Minds Ghana, who is expected to focus on youth mobilisation and behaviour change; Dr. Eric B. Yiadom, Lead Consultant at GreenVista Consult and Senior Lecturer at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), who brings expertise in ESG policy and corporate sustainability.
Others are Dr. Glenn Gyimah, Jospong Transition Office, who will showcase practical solutions to the stubborn sanitation menace; and Edward Debrah, a Chartered Environmental and Sustainability Professional and managing consultant who has advised institutions on compliance with environmental standards.
The panel will be moderated by Dr. Kwaku Adu, a senior lecturer at the University of Environment and Sustainable Development, known for his work in environmental policy and education.
Discussions will explore the current regulatory space; feasibility of a national ban on single-use plastics; implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks; and innovations in recycling and waste segregation.
In Accra, where plastic packaging constitutes more than 70 percent of urban waste according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), these deliberations are especially urgent. The city’s waste collection infrastructure is already under severe pressure and continued plastic leakage poses mounting threats to public health, agriculture and the blue economy.
Dr. Anim Prempeh expressed confidence that the summit will serve as a springboard for long-term policy alignment and cross-sector partnerships.
“We believe the solution lies in combining community-level action with institutional commitment. Today’s summit will give shape to that necessary convergence,” he stated.
He further noted that B&FT will actively monitor and report on follow-through from stakeholders beyond the day’s proceedings.
The summit is supported by a coalition of corporate sponsors including the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST), Jospong Group of Companies, Access Bank Ghana, World Vision, The Bank Hospital, HR Certification Centre and Unilever Ghana.
With media partnerships with Citi FM, Asaase Radio, TV3, Metro TV and B&FT Online, the event is poised to reach a wide national audience. Stakeholders believe the summit’s timing is strategic as Ghana continues its upward battle with climate adaptation, urban resilience and the search for innovative financing models to support sustainable infrastructure.
“Our goal is not only to host a successful summit but also sustain the momentum it generates,” Dr. Anim Prempeh said.
“We want to keep the conversation alive and support the push for evidence-based and financially viable waste management interventions,” he added.
