Speakers at the 2025 Environmental Sustainability Summit have agreed that the country’s ability to end plastic waste will hinge not on bold policy statements but rather closing enforcement gaps, improving coordination and fostering a national culture that sees plastic not as a nuisance but an opportunity.
While the country generates over 1.1 million tonnes of plastic waste annually – more than half of which remains uncollected – only nine percent is recycled.
The economic cost is estimated at US$6billion annually, equivalent to 11 percent of GDP according to Environment Minister Dr. Murtala Muhammed.
The Environment Minister, who was also the guest of honour, outlined a government-led strategy to phase out single-use plastic such as straws and sachets, taking a cue from successful bans in Rwanda and Kenya.
Consequently, the state is piloting buy-back schemes and community-based recycling centres – with recycled plastic already being used in school building projects and road surfacing.
To that end, a major recycling park near Accra is also in the works, expected to be funded through public-private partnerships aimed at narrowing the US$2.4billion financing gap in Ghana’s circular economy ambitions.
Dr. Muhammed urged Ghanaians to view plastic not as disposable litter but an economic resource, arguing that effective circular practices could increase GDP 1.9 percent by 2030 and create over 60,000 green jobs.
For his part, Prof. Chris Gordon-University of Ghana pointed to a persistent disconnect between academic research and policy design. He criticised the use of unverified statistics – such as claims that Accra alone uses 30 million plastic sachets daily – and urged stronger data governance.
To achieve long-term change, he called for interdisciplinary programmes that bridge the social and natural sciences and embed sustainability in the national curriculum.
Dr. Eric Boachie Yiadom, lead consultant at Green Vista, spotlighted global business models like Plastic Bank that have turned waste collection into profitable ventures.
He blamed a lack of tax incentives and inconsistent data for weak investor confidence in Ghana’s recycling sector.
While government has introduced a National Plastics Management Policy and is preparing to roll out Extended Producer Responsibility legislation, enforcement remains patchy.
