The Binduri Naaba, Alhaji Akorlbila Agetwin Robert, has called on the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to prosecute individuals and businesses that violate Ghana’s impending ban on Styrofoam products, insisting that strict enforcement is essential to securing compliance.
He described the ban on Styrofoam and single-use plastics as long overdue, citing the unacceptable levels of pollution across the country and the urgent need for decisive action to protect the environment.
The traditional ruler made the call during a stakeholder engagement organised by the EPA in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, as part of an intensive campaign to sensitise the public to the forthcoming ban.
While commending the John Dramani Mahama-led administration for the initiative, the Binduri Naaba urged the Authority to go beyond public education and ensure that offenders face the full force of the law once implementation begins.
“As a traditional ruler, I am a custodian of the environment and therefore welcome the government’s proposed ban. I just want to add that prosecution must be part of the implementation, and all those who violate any aspect of the ban must be prosecuted,” he said.
He added that consistent enforcement and prosecution would be critical to achieving full compliance, warning against an approach that raises public awareness without holding violators accountable.
“That is the only way we can get full compliance with the ban,” he stressed.
The Binduri Naaba’s appeal comes as the EPA steps up nationwide public education ahead of January 1, 2027, when the ban on Styrofoam products is scheduled to take effect.
The Authority has launched an intensive, week-long awareness campaign across northern Ghana, visiting regional capitals, including Bolgatanga, to engage stakeholders and educate communities on the policy and its environmental implications.
The campaign, led by EPA Chief Executive Officer, Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse, seeks to deepen public understanding of the ban, encourage responsible consumer choices and secure voluntary compliance before enforcement begins.
The EPA has given manufacturers, importers and distributors advance notice to prepare for the implementation deadline and stop stocking the prohibited products ahead of the ban.
The Authority has also made it clear that the January 1, 2027, deadline will not be extended, signalling its determination to proceed with implementation as scheduled.
The northern Ghana campaign follows similar public education exercises in Accra and Kumasi and is expected to culminate in a major durbar in Tamale.
The closing activities are expected to include a public float, a quiz competition and a debate on the environmental implications of Styrofoam pollution and the importance of the impending ban.
The EPA is using the engagements to mobilise traditional authorities, businesses, institutions and the general public behind the policy, as Ghana prepares to phase out the prohibited products.
The Binduri Naaba’s call adds to the growing emphasis on enforcement as a critical component of the exercise, with the January deadline fast approaching.
SOURCE: Corporate Affairs, EPA
