GIMPA and KAS hold youth video contest on plastic waste solutions

On December 7, 2023 the maiden Youth Experts Video contest on Plastic Waste Challenges and Solutions was held at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, GIMPA. The event showcased a compelling documentary film created by nine talented young filmmakers drawn from the Greater Accra Region, the Western Region, and Ashanti regions of Ghana.

Their focus was to devise practical and sustainable ways by which waste could be managed in the country through a five-minute film documentary. The occasion drew a diverse audience of environmental advocates, youth activists, and educators.

Themed: ‘Reimaging Plastic: Youth Solutions for A Sustainable Future’ the event was an initiative of GIMPA in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS).

At the end of the challenge Emmanual Nimoh, a student of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology emerged the winner. His project detailed how Plastic waste could be turned into fuel to power vehicles. He won a cash prize of GH¢10,000.

Following behind was Ernest Anokye, also a student of KNUST. His project was on how plastic wastes could be recycled into pavement blocks and building tiles. He received a cash prize of GH¢7,000.

The third place went to Seth Ansong, a photographer in Accra who detailed how plastic waste could be re-cycled into bricks for building houses. He received a cash prize of GH¢5,000. The remaining six contestants also received undisclosed amounts as consolation for participating in the challenge.

The challenge stands out as an innovative effort to equip young Ghanaians with the skills and knowledge necessary for impactful storytelling through video production. By merging artistic expression with environmental advocacy, the program empowers aspiring filmmakers to drive change and inspire others to take action on practical and sustainable plastic waste management which has become a huge problem in the country.

Welcoming participants, the Secretary of the Institute, Dr. Mrs. Victoria Kunbour lauded the contestants for their commitment to take up a huge challenge such as this adding that the problem of plastic waste was not only a Ghana’s problem but a global challenge.

The Rector of GIMPA Prof. Samuel Kwaku Bonsu indicated that it was saddening that only 9 percent of plastic is recycled. What is left of the remaining 91 percent was the reason behind the institution of the challenge. “We as young people have a vital role to play in addressing the plastic menace,” he stressed.

He affirmed that the aim of the challenge was to also help create awareness about the impact of plastic waste on our environment, as well as, encourage innovative solutions which would have young people thinking outside the box towards finding sustainable solutions and also foster a certain sense of responsibility among young people who are the custodians of our future.