The Gulf of Guinea, a vital ecosystem teeming with life, is facing a growing threat of plastic pollution. But a new project, tagged “Prevention of Marine Litter in the Gulf of Guinea” PROTEGO is working to turn the tide.
Minister Of Environment, Balarabe Lawal at a capacity building workshop in Abuja said the initiative is a beacon of international cooperation in reducing plastic waste leakage into the oceans in Nigeria and Ghana, fostering circular economy strategies.
Funded by the German
Federal Ministry of Environment, the “Prevention of Marine Litter in the Gulf of Guinea” (PROTEGO) project is designed to be a driving force in reducing plastic waste leakage into the oceans in Nigeria and Ghana, enhancing waste management.
With over 850 kilometers of Atlantic coastline in Nigeria, the oceans are constantly exposed to plastic pollution threatening biodiversity and impacting vital marine resources.
The capacity building workshop on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is organised as part of interventions being implemented by the PROTEGO Project to equip stakeholders with the tools to implement (EPR) schemes, effectively compelling producers to consider the entire lifecycle of their products.
Minister of Environment , Balarabe Lawal represented by the Director General, National Agency for the Great Green Wall, Saleh Abubakar said the success of the EPR, hinges on collaboration and a commitment to behavioural change.
As part of their initial work, the PROTEGO team had conducted extensive waste sampling audit in identified hotsots in Nigeria and Ghana aimed at tracing the journey of plastic waste from its source to the ocean.
The PROTEGO team says data collected pinpoints the sources of pollution, allowing for targeted interventions and development of effective waste management strategies for the 3 year project.
(Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu)
