The exercise was GRIPE’s way of playing their part in supporting the national sanitation campaign, to maintain a clean and healthy environment always as well as showcase themselves to the world.

This was done in collaboration with Environment 360, a Non-Governmental Organisation, and the AMA Zion School at Mamprobi. Mrs Ama Amoah, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Nestle Ghana said GRIPE was an initiative formed by eight manufacturing companies, mainly users, generators and producers of plastics.

She said the collation was formed to support government in its efforts to manage sanitation, primarily plastic waste management, with the support of the Ministry of Sanitation.The companies that make GRIPE include Nestle Ghana, Voltic, Fan Milk, UNILIVER, Dile chemicals, PZ, Cussons, Coca Cola, and Guinness.

Mrs Amoah said in support of the achievement of the SDG goal 13, which was care for the environment, they believed that waste management and sanitation could only be addressed through multi sectorial, multi stakeholder approach, where sister companies came together to ensure that sanitation, efficient waste management and sustainability in terms of various interventions in communities be promoted.

“We launched GRIPE about two weeks ago, and as part of our activities we are here to showcase what we are about, saying in quarter one of 2018 we would collaborate with other partners to embark on a membership drive.”

Mrs Joyce Ahiadorme, Public Affairs and Communications Manager, Voltic, said their major focus was on education and awareness creation, saying “we are here at AMA Zion School, to go round the community to educate the populace on the need to segregate waste to keep the environment clean.”

She noted that it was their way of playing their part in supporting the national sanitation campaign, by sensitizing the public on the need to become change agents by using children.    “We are here to let the people know that, there is the need for them to change their attitude to be able to keep the environment clean so we all benefit from it.”

Mrs Ahiadorme said their expectation is to support government in managing plastic waste and in a very sustainable manner to bring about behaviourial change in people. “Today plastic management and sanitation is about you and I, and depends on our very little every day practice. So we need to have a change of mind to promote healthy environments.”