{
  "id": 4649090,
  "title": "‘Revive traditional values to fight plastic pollution’ – EPA CEO",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/revive-traditional-values-to-fight-plastic-pollution-epa-ceo",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-31T13:29:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/revive-traditional-values-to-fight-plastic-pollution-epa-ceo/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse, the Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), highlighted in her speech during the Ahobaa Kese Festival that Ghana's environmental troubles are not solely about plastic, but also about the decline of traditional values that once protected the environment. She noted that three decades ago, Ghanaian communities regarded forests, water bodies, and farmlands as sacred. This was made clear during the 2026 Ahobaa Kese Festival, which also marked the 30th anniversary of Daasebre Kwebu Ewusi VII becoming the Omanhen of the Abeadze Dominase Traditional Area.\n\nProfessor Ama Browne Klutse emphasized that the degradation of Ghana's environment, including plastic pollution and improper waste disposal, is a result of the erosion of those values of stewardship, discipline, and communal responsibility. She called for the revival of these traditional values to address the current environmental challenges. The EPA CEO stressed that the national campaign to eliminate styrofoam and other harmful single-use materials is not merely a regulatory measure but a call to change attitudes, protect the environment, and promote sustainable alternatives.\n\nShe explained that while the EPA is committed to environmental governance and pollution control, lasting change requires a cultural reawakening spearheaded by traditional authorities. She praised the Paramount Chief for his consistent demonstration of responsible stewardship, highlighting how traditional norms can preserve natural heritage. As part of the campaign, the EPA announced it would ban styrofoam and initiated a nationwide public awareness effort, including a door-to-door sensitization exercise in Abeadze Dominase. The event also saw the launch of the Abeadze Trust Fund, with Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse donating GH₵10,000 to support the traditional area's development.",
  "summary": "The Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse, says Ghana's worsening environmental challenges are not just about plastic but about the loss of traditional values that once protected the environment.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}