Several areas of the Kumasi Metropolis have been inundated with plastic waste, which has left residents concerned about their living conditions.
Alabar and Dr. Mensah have been particularly affected in the Kumasi Central Business District.
Gutters in these neighbourhoods are consistently clogged with plastic waste, leading to daily inconveniences.
The situation worsens after rainfalls, as the floodwaters scatter the trash across the streets, making the area unsightly.
Residents at Alabar say that the blocked gutters have increased mosquito populations, further disrupting their daily activities.
“There are so many mosquitoes here; we can’t even stand outside in the evening. All the gutters are clogged,” a resident, Mallam Issah, said.
Plastic waste has become a significant challenge in Ghana in recent years, impacting nearly every community across the country.
The nation generates over 1 million tons of plastic waste annually, with only about 2 to 5 per cent being recycled.
A large portion of this waste, mainly single-use plastics such as bags, bottles, and sachets, is mismanaged, ultimately ending up in landfills, water bodies, and the ocean.
This poses serious threats to ecosystems, marine life, and human health.
In the Ashanti Region, which was once celebrated as the Garden City of Ghana, the situation is particularly alarming.
The formerly lush environment has been overwhelmed by plastic products, resulting in gutters and various parts of the city being covered with debris.
In response to a documentary produced by Orange News’ Fatawu Bayaga titled Plastic Shadows, Abena Dufie Wiredu Bremang, a deputy director with the Water Management Department of the Water Resources Commission in the Ashanti Region and head of the Pra Basin, noted that plastic waste is a national crisis requiring immediate attention.
“Plastic is a problem nationwide, especially for the Water Resources Commission, because we see so much of it ending up in our water bodies and clogging our gutters, which can lead to flooding. Therefore, plastic waste is a national menace that needs to be curtailed,” she stated.
Prof. Kyereh Boateng, an environmental expert and lecturer at the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, believes that companies contributing to plastic pollution should be held accountable for the collection or recycling of their waste.
“My opinion is that the polluter must pay. Whoever is contributing to the plastic problem has to pay towards either recycling or its waste removal,” Prof. Boateng indicated.
Dr. Frank Amoakohene, the Ashanti Regional Minister, urged the public to support initiatives aimed at keeping the city of Kumasi clean.
The Minister pointed out that if everyone commits to cleanliness, it can be achieved.
“If we all decide that we want to make Kumasi clean, we can do it. If we all decide that we don’t want to keep it clean, the same will happen. Everything depends on us as citizens. So I urge everyone to be intentional about reducing the filth in the city to the barest minimum,” he stated.
