A former president of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Mr Tony Oteng-Gyasi, has kicked against the intended ban on some categories of plastic products announced by the government.
He said instead of placing a ban, the government should invest in research into the manufacture of bio-degradable plastics to save the environment.
He said the government could channel the 20 per cent tax being paid by manufacturers of plastics for the collection of plastic waste into a research fund dedicated to new technologies in the manufacture of bio-degradable plastics.
Mr Oteng-Gyasi stated this at the maiden International Conference on Engineering, Science, Technology and Entrepreneurship in Kumasi yesterday.
It was hosted by the School of Engineering of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science Technology (KNUST).
It was on the theme: �Promoting creativity and innovation through engineering, science, technology and entrepreneurship for development.�
Challenge to scientists
Mr Oteng-Gyasi, who is also the Managing Director of Tropical Cable and Conductor Company Ltd (TCCL), advised the government to seek the assistance of the country�s scientists and engineers in resolving the problem.
In his view, if scientists were challenged by the government and given a maximum of two years to find solutions to the plastic menace, the problem would be solved.
Placing a ban on plastics, in his opinion, was a knee-jerk reaction.
Minister�s reaction
In a reaction, the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Mr Mahama Ayariga, who was a speaker at the conference, said the government had made a headway in that direction and added that production of bio-degradable plastics would start soon.
He said some manufacturers had informed the government that they were already engaged in the manufacture of bio-degradable plastics and even exported some of their products to neighbouring countries including Cote d�Ivoire.
He said others only needed some additives to begin production.
Mr Ayariga said manufacturers of non-bio-degradable plastics had been given 90 days to clear their warehouses of the product �so that no one would use that as an excuse not to comply with the new law�.
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