Ministry To Recruit 2000 Graduates To Enforce Ban On Plastics

The Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology says it will recruit some 2000 tertiary graduates to enforce the partial ban on plastics.

Government yesterday (Thursday) announced the ban on non-biodegradable plastic materials  effective November 1, 2015.

Sector minister, Mahama Ayariga told Joy News tertiary graduates, mostly from the country’s polytechnics, will be recruited within the next three months to ensure strict adherence to the country’s environmental laws.

Graduates who wish to apply must have a background in environmental science or its related courses. These graduates will be taken through extensive training on environmental regulations and standards before they are deployed to the various districts across the country.

Mr Ayariga indicated that each application received will be subjected to intense scrutiny by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) before recruitments are made. He said all measures have been put in place and is hopeful that in three months the EPA will conclude the recruitment process.

Meanwhile the decision to place a ban the plastics has been met with sharp criticism from traders and users of the product. Some of the people who spoke to Joy News said the partial ban will disturb their business.

Food vendors who use these plastic materials said it will be difficult to find alternatives.

Producers of the plastic materials say the ban will cause job losses.