Introduction 

Plastic pollution is one of the major problems many countries face. It is stipulated that worldwide, a total of 8 million tonnes of plastic waste are washed ashore into the ocean, and it is also estimated that by the year 2050, if nothing changes, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fishes. The threat this poses is direr in almost all developing countries including Ghana. As a waterlogged country, Ghana’s coast is washed ashore by the Atlantic Ocean and has several water bodies such as rivers which empty themselves into the sea. The increased population growth in Ghana over the years has direct correlation with plastic pollution in Ghana. Ghana’s plastic generation is estimated to be more than 3,000 metric tonnes daily and 1 million tonnes annually. An estimated 250,000 tonnes of plastic waste end up in Ghana’s Gulf of Guinea. 

Effects of plastic pollution 

Plastics that end in the sea carry many potential negative effects. Aquatic animals are starved and suffocated as a results of the presence of plastic waste in the sea. This also has been observed to alter the habitation of aquatic animals, causing the transportation of some alien aquatic species. All these contribute to the decline of the stock fish and has adverse effect on the economy of those who depend on fishing for income. The specialists have opined that humans experience hormonal changes, developmental disorders and reproductive abnormalities when they ingest seafood which have plastics in them. 

Major cause of plastic pollution in Ghana and a possible solution 

Indiscipline has been a major cause of plastic pollution in Ghana. A number of people in Ghana blatantly dispose of plastics such as black polythene bags, sachet and bottles improperly without recourse to the debilitating effects of their action in the short and long terms. A rigorous public education must be embarked on by the National Commission for Civic Education and other stakeholders to help curtail this act.

Conclusion 

The 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 14 promotes life under water, where there is a call for the conservation and the sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.  We all owe the ocean and all that is therein, the responsibility to protect it from danger to help attain this goal.