The Government of Ghana is all set to produce biodegradable plastic bags from cassava. This was disclosed by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia who said that his government is exploring ways of actually using the cassava flour in order to produce biodegradable plastic bags. He said this will help the country in dealing with the current challenges of sanitation, hygiene as well as plastic pollution. The Government of Ghana is in touch with an entrepreneur who has had approached it with a proposal. He has also given the assurance that the Ghana Government would pursue this sustainability idea aggressively as it was pretty much in line with the government’s own industrialization plan and agenda such as Biodegradable Plastic Bags.

Mahamudu Bawumia also added that the Ghana Government will explore avenues in order to reestablish a jute factory in the region of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region because the Ghana Cocoa Board has been importing jute bags for cocoa beans. He said that such biodegradable bags would be manufactured locally and would therefore be much cheaper than the imported ones.

Vice President Bawumia was speaking at a panel discussion at the Ghana Economic Forum held in Accra, which was held on the subject: Building a competitive economy for sustainable growth. The 2-day event also served as a platform for the leaders of industry to discuss and debate key issues which affect the Ghanaian economy. They also offered innovative ideas to resolve them in a sustainable manner. The Ghana Vice President said that the nation was ready to move beyond aid and produce value for the raw materials and make Biodegradable Plastic Bags. The Akufo-Addo Government was moving away from the traditional approaches to development and taking up policies to accelerate economic growth which are also part of sustainable development. He spoke about the Infrastructure Barter Arrangement that the Ghana Government entered with Sinohydro Corporation of China.

About Syeda Ambia Zahan

Greenubuntu Evangelist Syeda Ambia Zahan is a Guwahati-based journalist who has been covering environment, politics, technology, human interest stories and defence for the past five years. She is a State Editor at 101Reporters.com and an erstwhile Journalist with Aaj Tak. She can be reached at twitter @syedaambia