The United Nations in Ghana, together with the Regional Maritime University (RMU), Plastic Punch, and other development partners, has hosted an enormous beach clean-up exercise in Accra to mark World Oceans Day 2025.
Held under the global theme, “Accelerating Action and Mobilizing All Actors to Conserve and Sustainably Use the Ocean,” the activity brought together students, volunteers, activists, and environmental groups to raise awareness concerning ocean pollution and the challenge of sustainable waste management.
The cleanup was done at RMU Beach and coincided with the ongoing 2025 UN Ocean Conference in Nice, rallying support for the need for collective action in a bid to protect the world’s oceans that are facing the brunt of plastic pollution, oil spillage, and climate change.
Youth Called Upon to Take Action, Not Complaint
Speaking at the event, Heneba Kwadwo Sa, a co-founder of the civic group Buzstopboys, emphasized the need to take personal responsibility among youths.
The biggest lesson for the young people is that the whole purpose of life unravels without the environment,” he said. “No matter how rich you are, when the environment crumbles, all of us suffer. You can’t bribe nature with dollars.”
He explained much of trash that seems to end up on the shore is not dumped directly onto the beach but carried in from communities upstream.
“Flood is not natural; it’s man-made. It’s because of blocked drains and senseless dumping,” he said. “If we can be proactive and can reform, we can reverse this.”
Kwadwo Sa also called on the youth to stop finger-pointing and instead take up the role of being agents of change in society.
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The future is bearing down on us in silence. We will regret it when we are old and cannot do anything about it if we do not take action now,” he warned.
Environmental Awareness for Sustainable Future
Organizers say the activity is part of a broader effort to raise public awareness about ocean conservation and align local action with international environmental objectives under the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
RMU and collaborating institution delegates also echoed the call for the urgent change of behavior and action, citing that ocean pollution is not just a coastal issue but also a national concern which affects livelihood, health, and climate resilience.
Mindset Shift is Key
Although valuing the good number and participation, Heneba Kwadwo Sa testified that the greatest obstacle to development remains the national mindset.
“Humans still believe it is someone else’s fault. But cholera and malaria do not care who littered the trash. We are all suffering for that,” he said.
The beach clean-up was just one of a series of activities across the country to mark World Oceans Day, as Ghana’s budding green movement and imperative for civic action against combating ocean pollution is staked.
Source: Isaac Kofi Dzokpo/capitalnewsonline.com
