The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has proposed that Ghana’s planned plastics legislation be named after the late Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, in recognition of his commitment to tackling plastic pollution.
The EPA’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of Operations, Prof. Michael Ayamga-Adongo, said the proposed law would serve as a lasting tribute to the late minister’s efforts to advance environmental protection and champion policies aimed at reducing plastic waste.
Speaking on Citi FM, Prof. Ayamga-Adongo disclosed that the EPA is finalising legislation to strengthen the government’s planned ban on single-use plastics, including Styrofoam food containers, which is scheduled to take effect in January 2027.
He explained that the legislation is intended to provide legal backing for the ban and ensure its long-term enforcement.
Prof. Ayamga-Adongo urged Members of Parliament to consider naming the legislation the “Murtala Mohammed Law on Plastics in Ghana”, describing it as a fitting recognition of the late minister’s passion for ending plastic pollution.
According to him, dedicating the law to Dr Muhammed would preserve his legacy and inspire future generations to continue the fight against environmental degradation.
“We are announcing the ban on Styrofoam from January next year, and we are in the process of developing legislation to reinforce the ban on single-use plastics going forward.”
“I am proposing to Members of Parliament that we name this legislation after our late colleague, Hon. Dr. Murtala Mohammed. If we name this legislation the Murtala Mohammed Law on Plastics in Ghana, it will go a long way in acknowledging his efforts to end plastic pollution in Ghana. That cause was very dear to him,” he said on Citi FM
The proposed legislation forms part of Ghana’s broader efforts to curb plastic pollution and promote sustainable environmental management.
Dr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed was among eight people who lost their lives in a Ghana Armed Forces Z-9 helicopter crash on August 6, 2025, in the Adansi Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region. The delegation was travelling from Accra to the launch of the government’s Cooperative Mining Initiative, an anti-illegal mining programme, when the aircraft crashed.
