Ghana risks making only marginal progress in its fight against plastic pollution if it focuses narrowly on banning styrofoam while ignoring the broader plastic waste stream, sustainability advocate Sammy King Baiden has warned.

Speaking on theAsaase Breakfast Show on Thursday (28 May), Baiden described the planned restriction on styrofoam packaging as “a good step” but insufficient to address the scale of the country’s waste crisis.

“If styrofoam represents just about one percent of the total plastic waste, then we are not dealing with the real matter,” he said. “We must go the extra mile and tackle plastics in their entirety.”

Ghana generates hundreds of thousands of tonnes of plastic waste annually, much of which ends up clogging drains and contributing to perennial flooding in cities such as Accra.

Baiden pointed to recent flooding episodes as visible evidence of the problem, linking them directly to plastic-choked gutters.

“You don’t need to be told — the drains are blocked because of plastics,” he said. “Why not deal with the issue once and for all?”

He also criticised what he described as a lack of urgency and public education since the government announced plans in June 2025 to phase out styrofoam packaging, with enforcement expected to begin in January 2027.

“What education has been done in the past year?” Baiden asked. “We have been sitting and waiting.”

According to him, Ghana’s repeated failure to achieve lasting behavioural change in sanitation stems from weak institutional leadership rather than public unwillingness.

“The same Ghanaians behave differently abroad because systems are enforced,” he said. “Behavioural change must be driven from the governmental level with seriousness and consistency.”

Baiden further argued that economic concerns about switching to eco-friendly packaging are overstated, noting that packaging costs are already embedded in food prices.

“What is wrong with adding the cost of sustainable packaging?” he said. “The real issue is understanding, not affordability.”

He also raised concerns about political interference, alleging that financial ties between plastic-producing companies and political actors could undermine reforms.

“As long as those producing plastics are financing politics, it becomes difficult to take bold decisions,” he said.

On enforcement, Baiden expressed scepticism about Ghana’s ability to prevent corruption and selective application of sanctions, warning that without strong political will, the policy risks becoming ineffective.

“If we are not serious, it is better we do not even start,” he said.