Deputy Director of Human Settlement Unit at EPA Joy Hesse Ankomah, has said efforts to ban certain plastic materials in Ghana will require extensive public education, stakeholder engagement and strong policy support, an official involved in the process has said.

Speaking on Pulse on JoyNews, on June 3, Mr Ankomah said tackling plastic pollution is a complex challenge that extends beyond Ghana and requires coordinated action at both the national and global levels.

"A lot of education has to start, and a lot of strategies have to be put in place. This is a global fight and not just a Ghanaian fight," the official stated.

The official explained that while strategies to address the problem had been developed years ago, implementation could not proceed without the necessary policy backing from government.

"The whole strategy was put in place, but we needed the policy backing, basically from government," the official said.

He noted that changes in government over the years contributed to delays in advancing the policy.

"As you know, since 11 years ago, there have been changes in government. Everybody comes and we have to re-look at it," he added.

According to the official, significant progress was made last year after the President approved plans to begin implementing measures targeting polystyrene products.

"Until last year, when the President gave us the green light to start with that of the polystyrene products," he said.

The official disclosed that following a meeting with stakeholders, January 1, 2027, has been proposed as the date for the policy to take effect.

He stressed that technical experts have had to carefully assess the implications of the proposed ban before implementation.

"It was a process. Technical people were still working on it because there are global implications, trade implications, economic implications and other health-related implications," he explained.

The comments come as government and industry stakeholders continue discussions on measures aimed at reducing plastic pollution and promoting environmentally sustainable alternatives across the country.