Tackling the plastic waste menace at Ghana’s beaches

A section of the shore being filled with filt

Dear Editor,

Ghanaians love the beach, and for good reason. Whether it is lounging in the sun, swimming in the ocean, or appreciating the scen¬ery, there is something for everyone at the beach.

Unfortunately, many of the beaches in Ghana are not as clean and well-maintained as they should.
This letter seeks to look at why some of the beaches are in such a sorry state, and what can be done to bring cleanliness and harmony to our shores.
Many Ghanaians flock to the beach during festive seasons and holidays. However, despite the many visitors, our beaches are full of plastic waste and other forms of uncollected garbage.
This hardly denotes respect for Mother Nature, as the waste and pollution endangers marine life; something Ghana, as a country should be protecting.
Furthermore, these forms of pollution are not pretty to behold and can cause health hazards for people who swim, relax or sunbathe on the beach.
However, some beaches are kept clean and well-maintained. Some of the cleanest beaches in Ghana include La Beach, Coco Beach, and Bojo Beach.
The La Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Ghana, and it is known for its cleanliness and orderliness. Coco Beach is also a great place to visit for its clean sand, well-kept facilities, and organised management.
And, for an exclusive experience, Bojo Beach has one of the cleanest beaches and is often preferred over other beaches. It is a private beach that is accessible only on boats, which helps to keep it less crowded and more closely monitored.
To maintain a clean and better future, individuals should also take responsibility to keep our environment clean.
However, there is much more that needs to be done than just individual responsibility. Businesses, public or¬ganisations, and government entities need to work together to keep our beaches well-maintained.
Regular clean-up campaigns, recycling programmes, and conservation efforts can address the pollution and waste on the beaches.
There is also an urgent need for the creation and enforcement of more regulatory policies to govern sanitation at the beach.
Ghana’s beaches are valuable resources that must be preserved and maintained for generations to come.
By advocating for the cleanliness of our beaches, we can create a better future for ourselves and the environ¬ment. Let us work together and take individual responsibility to properly dispose of garbage and promote envi¬ronmental conservation practices.
While at it, individuals can also visit the clean beaches such as La Beach, Coco Beach, and Bojo Beach which have already exemplified such environmental conservation practices in their structure and management.
Fauzia Abdullai
Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ