Collaboration effective way of addressing environmental issues — Environment, Science and Technology Minister designate

The Minister designate for Environment, Science and Technology (MEST), Murtala Mohammed, has emphasised the importance of collaboration between ministries and agencies to address environmental challenges in Ghana.

He said a coordinated approach would help yield better results instead of stakeholders acting as silos.

Speaking during his vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament last Thursday, Mr Mohammed explained that while noise pollution may seem solely the responsibility of the Ministry of Environment, Science, and Technology (MEST), effective regulation requires the involvement of other stakeholders.

“Ministries and agencies are not supposed to be working in isolation. What I will do is to deepen the collaboration between ministries and agencies. If you look at noise pollution for example, you may see it as entirely the responsibility of MEST.

“But to be able to have a policy that will regulate the noise that people engage in, you cannot do that without the traditional authorities, without engaging the local governance.

Local government and chieftaincy will be so much more important to it.

“I think what I will do is to have some consultations with some of these ministries and agencies to see how best we can all help to stem the tide,” the minister designate emphasised. 

Tackling e-waste

Also at the vetting, the minister designate outlined his strategies to improve Electronic waste (e-waste) management in Ghana, emphasising the need to turn e-waste into an economic opportunity rather than an environmental hazard.

Mr Muhammed acknowledged the existence of the Hazardous and Electronic Waste Control and Management Act of 2016 (Act 917) and a government-established recycling centre.

However, he stated that many young people involved in e-waste collection found it difficult to transport their materials to the designated recycling facility.

To address this, he plans to investigate whether the financial incentives for e-waste collectors are sufficient.

“If the money they receive is not encouraging, we may need to increase it to motivate them,” he stated.

He also mentioned exploring available grants and funding sources to support e-waste recycling initiatives.

The minister designate highlighted that past government actions led to a temporary reduction in e-waste activities in certain areas but emissions continued elsewhere.

He plans to engage key stakeholders, including community members, local authorities and MPs to find sustainable solutions.

Mr Muhammed also referenced another e-waste site near the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, which he intends to assess.

He promised discussions with the Minister for Local Government, the Greater Accra Regional Minister and other key officials to explore possible interventions.

“I don’t want to make promises without fully understanding the challenges.

I will engage all relevant parties to develop a practical and effective solution,” he assured.

His approach aims to balance environmental protection with economic benefits, ensuring that e-waste recycling becomes a viable and sustainable industry in Ghana.