The Founder of the All People’s Congress (APC), Hassan Ayariga, wants the government to tax consumables sold in plastic containers such as water and soft drinks to curb the threat of plastic waste in the country.
According to him, the extra fee, at least 50 pesewas, will be given back to any consumer who returns the empty plastic bottle.
This he believes will deter consumers from disposing of plastics indiscriminately.
He was commenting on Monday’s downpour which led to flooding in some parts of the city including his neighbourhood.
Pictures of Mr. Ayariga’s flooded home with his cars immersed in water circulated on social media on Monday.
Numerous flooding incidents in the city are caused by choked gutters and drains and the refuse is mostly plastic bottles.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast show on Tuesday, Ayariga said: “I am proposing that government should put a fee on the plastic bottles. For example, when you buy water and it is 1 cedi, you will pay 1 cedi 50 pesewas, so that when you send back the bottles to the vendor you get back your 50 pesewas.”
According to him, this move will promote recycling in the country and reduce the menace of plastic waste.
Monday’s downpour left several suburbs of Accra flooded whilst also disrupting traffic flow.
Areas like Asylum Down, Shiashie and Haatso, were hit the hardest.
Portions of the Kotoka International Airport’s Terminal 3 were also flooded.
President Nana Akufo-Addo on Tuesday toured some parts of the Greater Accra Region to inspect on-going works aimed at reducing flooding in the capital.
Last month the First lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, called for a concerted effort towards the reduction and recycling of plastic waste in the country.
According to her, the advent of sachet water has been a major contributing factor to the enormous waste generated in the country.