Ghanaians have been urged to contribute towards addressing plastic pollution and growing threats of illegal mining, as the nation joins the rest of the globe to mark the 2026 World Cleanup Day (WCD). The day, observed annually, was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly as an international day to promote collective action for a cleaner and healthier environment. This year's celebration is on the theme: “From clean plates to clean cities”.
Some civil society organisations have called on the nation to move the conversation beyond sweeping the street, and collecting plastic waste recycling and protection of water bodies. A statement issued by the Africa Hub to End Plastic Pollution (AHEP), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), noted that keeping Ghana clean requires collective responsibility. The government alone cannot shoulder that responsibility, and so civil society organizations, traditional authorities, businesses, young people, and individuals ought to take responsibility for the environment they share.
The statement, issued through the AHEP-Ghana Coalition and Help for Africa Women Alliance (HAWA) and the Centre of Posterity Interest Organization (COPIO), was signed by Mr. Mustapha M Yeboah, its West Africa Regional Coordinator. It called on Ghanaians to contribute to strengthening public participation towards efforts to tackle plastic pollution and protecting water bodies. The statement expressed worry that pollution enters water bodies through poorly managed waste, untreated wastewater, agricultural activities, industrial discharges, excessive sedimentation, and mining.
The statement indicated that illegal mining threatened river systems, citing recent work by the Water Resources Commission, which drew attention to severe degradation in parts of the White Volta Basin. This includes sedimentation and the loss of riparian vegetation. The commission has reported that about 6,000 cubic meters of sand are mined daily from the White Volta, while more than half of its riparian vegetation has reportedly been lost over a 26-year period.
Those developments should make river protection an important part of the celebration of the 2026 WCD in the country. The statement noted that involvement of civil society in tackling plastic pollution and illegal mining remained important because the challenge extended beyond the collection of plastic waste. It requires sustained public education, community participation, responsible waste management, and collective action to protect water bodies from the multiple threats confronting them.
The Africa Hub to End Plastic Pollution (AHEP) and other organisations are coordinating efforts to address plastic pollution and protect water bodies. The statement made available to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani called for collective action to address these challenges. Ghanaians are urged to take responsibility for the environment they share and contribute to efforts to tackle plastic pollution and protect water bodies.
The 2026 World Cleanup Day celebration in Ghana is expected to raise awareness about the importance of collective action in protecting the environment. Key stakeholders, including civil society organisations, traditional authorities, businesses, and individuals, are expected to participate in activities aimed at promoting a cleaner and healthier environment.
Key points
- Ghana joins the rest of the globe to mark the 2026 World Cleanup Day.
- Civil society organisations call for collective action to address plastic pollution and growing threats of illegal mining.
- The 2026 celebration is on the theme: “From clean plates to clean cities”.
