Tema, Oct. 31, GNA -- Activities of fishermen and crew of vessels operating on the Tema seas have led to the pollution of beaches along the Tema coast, especially the Bankuman beach in Tema Manhean. The fishermen and vessel crew usually throw rubbish, clothing and other garbage into the sea which were washed offshore, creating a mountain of used plastic bottles, polythene bags and clothes on the various beaches. To prevent an outbreak of an epidemic in the Bankuman community due to the pollution of the beach near the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) the residents embarked on a five-hour clean up exercise at the beach on Friday.

The exercise was organized by Green Advocacy Ghana (GreenAd), a non-governmental organization involved in upholding and promoting hygienic condition of Ghana's environment. Mr. Eric Neequaye, Assembly Member for the Oninku Electoral Area said apart from the activities of the seamen, some residents also defecate and threw their refuse on the beach.

He said the situation had created a lot of inconvenience to the residents due to the stench that emanates from the area, adding that dead bodies were occasionally found on the beach. Mr Neequaye pleaded with fishermen to keep refuse containers in their canoes and vessels to be emptied later at the nearest community instead of dumping waste into the sea.

He also appealed to landlords in coastal communities to provide toilet facilities for their tenants to curb defecation on the beaches. The Assembly Member also entreated sand winners not to win sand at the beaches as the act causes erosions which led to displacement of residents along the coast whenever it rains heavily. Mr Yaw Amoyaw-Osei, Executive Director of GreenAd said his outfit was moved by the terrible sight at the beach when their attention was drawn to the situation by a student who did his project work along the Tema beach. Mr Amoyaw-Osei indicated that the organization would adopt the beach stretch between Tema fishing harbour and Kpone and ensure that regular cleaning would be done. He further said sensitization programmes would be organized for communities to educate residents to appreciate the effects of their activities on the beach.