President of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe has stated that the management of waste must not be left to the public sector alone.

According to him, the goal to achieve a cleaner environment is a universal goal hence the need for individual responsibility.

His concerns follow the increased use of disposable Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) due to the presence of coronavirus.

“It looks as if we are overly focused on the public sector trying to solve these matters when waste is an independent problem. Human beings generate waste and so human beings must be made to account fo the waste they generate,” he said Tuesday.

Franklin was speaking on the NCCE/EU 5th ARAP National Dialogue on Good Environmental Governance And The Covid-19 Pandemic dialogue on JoyNews.

He noted that to get individuals actively involved in waste management, the necessary systems must be in place.

“It is an opportune time to have a conversation like this because it reminds us of what we’ve been failing to do all the time.”

“Public authorities must ensure there necessary infrastructure exists to safely manage the waste or turn it into some proper use” he said.

However, he stated that not many people see it as a personal decision to take charge of their waste because the state doesn’t give much credit such as taxes for key generators of waste.

“The state hasn’t made it mandatory that key persons who generate waste are made to pay for them," he stated.