The Resident Representative of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Ghana, Ambassador Mohammed Lawan Gana, has called for collective action to tackle plastic pollution and poor waste disposal practices, which are increasingly contributing to flooding, environmental degradation and public health risks across the sub-region.

He urged policymakers to invest in sustainable waste management systems, environmental education, recycling initiatives and stricter enforcement of sanitation laws, while calling on citizens to take greater responsibility for protecting the environment.

“Economic development and environmental protection must go hand in hand. Environmental protection is not just the responsibility of government alone; it belongs to all of us. A clean environment is not a luxury. It is a necessity for public health, economic growth, tourism and human dignity,” he said.

Ambassador Gana made the call during a beach clean-up exercise organised by ECOWAS in Accra on Saturday as part of activities marking the bloc’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

The exercise, which coincided with the National Sanitation Day and was simultaneously undertaken in member states across West Africa, was in line with the ECOWAS environmental policy aimed at combating climate change, managing pollution, preventing land degradation and promoting sustainable development.

Organised in collaboration with the La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Assembly (LaDMA) and environmental-focused non-governmental organisations, the exercise covered major beaches stretching from the Polo Club Beach through Labadi to the La Palm Royal Beach within the assembly.

According to Ambassador Gana, beaches are not only places of recreation but also vital sources of livelihood, trade and tourism, and their continued degradation posed a threat to future generations.

“Let this beach clean-up not end here today. Let it inspire lasting behavioural change in our homes, schools, markets, offices and communities,” he stated.

Touching on the future direction of ECOWAS, Ambassador Gana said the regional bloc was repositioning itself to become more relevant to the people of the sub-region and not only national governments, with particular focus on the youth.

“You are the environmental leaders of tomorrow. Your choices matter. Reduce littering, reduce plastic use, recycle whenever possible and educate your peers and families. The habits we build today will shape the future of our continent,” he advised the youth.

The Director in charge of Research, Statistics and Information Management at the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mr Divine Ayidzoe, in a remark on behalf of the sector minister, expressed concern about the perception among some members of the public that indiscriminate dumping created jobs for sanitation service providers.

“Beyond the cleaning on a monthly basis, as a people we have to do something about sanitation because some continue to dump waste indiscriminately, thinking that if they do not, sanitation providers will not have work to do. That is a very bad impression,” he said.

Mr Ayidzoe commended ECOWAS for the initiative and urged the public to adopt responsible environmental practices to help keep communities clean and healthy.

The Municipal Chief Executive for LaDMA, Alfredos Nii Anyetei, identified indiscriminate waste disposal, flooding and unplanned development as some of the major challenges confronting the municipality.

He, however, assured residents of the Assembly’s commitment to addressing these challenges to protect lives, property and public health.