In a bold escalation of Ghana’s environmental policy agenda, President John Dramani Mahama has declared an imminent ban on Styrofoam—marking a new phase in the government’s campaign against environmental degradation caused by plastics and deforestation.

The announcement was made during the official launch of the 2025 Green Ghana tree-planting initiative on June 5, coinciding with World Environment Day.

Speaking to a national audience from the forest reserve of Atiwa in the Eastern Region, President Mahama made clear that his administration is prepared to take tough decisions to reverse the tide of environmental decay, calling out both plastics and indiscriminate logging as dual threats to the nation’s survival.

Styrofoam in the Crosshairs

The primary target of Mahama’s latest declaration is Styrofoam—a commonly used packaging material, particularly in the food industry.

Locally known as “takeaway packs,” Styrofoam containers are ubiquitous in Ghana’s street food culture.

However, the President said the material poses a serious and growing threat to the environment due to its non-biodegradable nature and prevalence in urban waste.

“Styrofoam is one of the biggest polluters in this country,” Mahama stated.

“You go to buy food, it’s served in a white container, and immediately after you finish eating, it ends up in the gutter or on the street. This has to stop.”

He said the government, through the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), will soon issue a directive banning the importation and local production of Styrofoam in Ghana.

The President urged all manufacturers and importers to begin phasing out the product and exploring more eco-friendly alternatives such as paper packaging or aluminum containers.

Environmental Offensive

While plastics were the immediate focus, Mahama also signaled a broader war on environmental neglect.

He linked the ban to wider efforts aimed at restoring Ghana’s depleted forest cover—efforts which include large-scale afforestation, strict regulation of wood exports, and cracking down on illegal logging, especially in protected reserves.

Over the past decade, Ghana has lost a significant portion of its forest cover due to commercial timber extraction, charcoal production, and illegal mining (galamsey).

These activities have not only degraded ecosystems but also contributed to erratic weather patterns, water pollution, and the destruction of wildlife habitats.

The President’s remarks suggest that the government is prepared to tackle both the plastic and timber industries, which have historically been powerful and under-regulated sectors.

This latest stance represents a noticeable shift in tone for the Mahama administration, which had previously been criticized for being reactive rather than proactive on environmental matters.

During his previous term in office (2012–2016), efforts to tackle plastic pollution were limited to public awareness campaigns and voluntary clean-up exercises.

Now, with mounting global and local pressure to address climate change, the administration appears to be adopting a more regulatory, enforcement-led approach.

The President acknowledged that the transition will have economic implications but insisted that public health and environmental sustainability must take precedence.

“We must prioritize our survival over convenience,” Mahama said. “We will work with stakeholders to support the transition, but the ban will come.”

“Let us protect it—by changing our habits, changing our industries, and changing our policies.”