Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, Majority Leader & Third Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament
By Bright Philip Donkor
The Majority Leader of Ghana’s Parliament, and the Third Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, has called for a unified regional approach to tackle the burgeoning issue of plastic waste that is increasingly affecting the environment and public health across West Africa.
He made the call during a delocalised meeting of the joint ECOWAS Committee on Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources, Energy and Mines held at Winneba in the Central Region.
He emphasised the urgent need for collaborative strategies and policies to manage and reduce plastic waste throughout the region. He highlighted the pervasive challenge of plastic waste in urban centres across West Africa.
Urgency
The Majority Leader noted that cities from Dakar to Lagos, Niamey to Accra, and Abidjan were grappling with significant plastic pollution problems.
He stressed that while the plastic waste crisis affects individual nations, it necessitates a cross-border solution due to its widespread impact.
“The situation is the same in Ghana. On a national level, we could have asked ourselves how to solve this problem. However, given its cross-border nature, a community solution must be envisaged,” he said.
He lauded the relevance of the discussions taking place, expressing gratitude to the experts and members of the Joint Committee for their dedication to addressing this critical issue.
“It’s not a divisive issue, but one that affects our daily lives and has consequences for our populations, environments, agriculture, and infrastructure, to name but a few sectors,” he stated.
Holistic approach
He emphasised the significance of finding holistic solutions to mitigate the impact of plastic waste, and reaffirmed the commitment of the Ghanaian people, President Akufo-Addo, and the Winneba community to this cause.
“For us Members of this Sixth Legislature, this is the very meaning of our mandate in Parliament. I would like to close by reiterating to you the infinite gratitude of the Ghanaian people, the President of the Republic, the colleagues on the delegation, and the entire population of Winneba, our most profound appreciation,” he added.
Appreciation
He also extended his appreciation to the ECOWAS Parliament, acknowledging their role in initiating and supporting community-focused programmes.
He commended the Joint Committee for selecting this topic and for convening in Winneba for the discourse. The Majority Leader also thanked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who readily agreed to host the ECOWAS Parliament meeting.
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