PROTEGO - Prevention of Marine Litter in the Gulf of Guinea

On 28 November 2024, #PROTEGO hosted a Focus Group Discussion on combating marine litter at the Ada East Municipal Assembly 🇬🇭 , bringing together key stakeholders to address this pressing environmental challenge. As a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Ada is crucial in preserving biodiversity, making sustainable waste management and marine protection even more vital. We are committed to reducing marine pollution and safeguarding our environment for future generations through collaboration and innovation. PROTEGO - Prevention of Marine Litter in the Gulf of Guinea is a 3-year project (July 2024 – June 2027) funded by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety. Partners: 🇳🇬 Nigeria Climate Innovation Center | WASTE Africa (Initiative for the Advancement of Waste Management in Africa) 🇬🇭 Plastic Punch | GHANA NATIONAL CLEANER PRODUCTION CENTRE 🇩🇪 Lead - adelphi #SDGs #Oceandecade #GulfofGuinea #Ghana #Nigeria #PROTEGO

On December 9th, we held a focus group discussion at the Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Council headquarters in Ajegunle, Lagos. This engagement aimed to advance the PROTEGO Project by facilitating conversations with the local government and key stakeholders in Ajegunle. Insights from the discussion will shape actionable steps for the project’s implementation. We extend our gratitude to Circularity Africa Limited for their invaluable efforts in making this engagement a success. PROTEGO - Prevention of Marine Litter in the Gulf of Guinea is a 3-year project (July 2024 – June 2027) funded by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety. Partners: 🇳🇬 Nigeria Climate Innovation Center | WASTE Africa (Initiative for the Advancement of Waste Management in Africa) 🇬🇭 Plastic Punch | GHANA NATIONAL CLEANER PRODUCTION CENTRE 🇩🇪 Lead - adelphi #MarineLitter #PROTEGO #WasteManagementinAjegunle

More Highlights from PROTEGO’s Calabar Tour in Nigeria! The team visited the Qua River bank situated at the University of Calabar. They identified numerous drainage channels from the community, which discharge significant amounts of waste into the rivers. PROTEGO - Prevention of Marine Litter in the Gulf of Guinea is a 3-year project (July 2024 – June 2027) funded by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety. Partners: 🇳🇬 Nigeria Climate Innovation Center | WASTE Africa (Initiative for the Advancement of Waste Management in Africa) 🇬🇭 Plastic Punch | GHANA NATIONAL CLEANER PRODUCTION CENTRE 🇩🇪 Lead - adelphi #PROTEGO #MarineLitter #WASTEAfrica #NCIC

On 6th December, we hosted a successful #PROTEGO Stakeholder Workshop in Nsidung, Calabar that brought together participants from leading public, private, and civil society organizations. The workshop focused on educating stakeholders about the project and facilitating discussions to identify key challenges and potential solutions. Notable attendees included representatives from the Ministry of Environment, University of Calabar (UNICAL), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Cross River State Civil Society Network, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), and other esteemed organizations, alongside community members from the Nsidung Traders Union and Fish Dealers. PROTEGO - Prevention of Marine Litter in the Gulf of Guinea – is a 3-year project (July 2024 – June 2027) funded by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety. Led by adelphi Research gGmbH, the project aims to reduce marine litter, particularly #plasticwaste, in Nigeria and Ghana by implementing innovative solutions to prevent pollution in marine ecosystems. Our In-country Partners: 🇬🇭 Plastic Punch | GHANA NATIONAL CLEANER PRODUCTION CENTRE 🇳🇬 Nigeria Climate Innovation Center | WASTE Africa (Initiative for the Advancement of Waste Management in Africa) #Nsidung #MarinePollution #PolicyandInnovation

We are excited to share that last week, the PROTEGO team in Nigeria visited Nsidung, a key marine litter hotspot in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. The team engaged with community leaders, fishermen, and market traders. The team also met with the Deputy Head of Calabar South Local Government, Mbiet Isini, and Hon. Moses Osogi the Commissioner of Environment. Both leaders expressed strong support for the project and pledged collaboration to ensure its success. The PROTEGO project is dedicated to combating marine litter in the Gulf of Guinea. Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety, our project runs from July 2024 to June 2027. Through innovative, sustainable solutions, we aim to significantly reduce plastic waste in #Ghana and #Nigeria, safeguarding marine ecosystems. In-country Partners: Nigeria Climate Innovation Center (Nigeria) WASTE Africa (Initiative for the Advancement of Waste Management in Africa) (Nigeria) Plastic Punch (Ghana) GHANA NATIONAL CLEANER PRODUCTION CENTRE (Ghana) Lead - adelphi #PROTEGO #MarinePollution #Nsidung

🎥 Richmond Kennedy Quarcoo , Director Plastic Punch during the #PROTEGO inception workshop in Ghana 🇬🇭 PROTEGO - Prevention of Marine Litter in the Gulf of Guinea - is a 3-year project (July 2024 – June 2027) funded by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety. Partners: 🇬🇭 Plastic Punch | GHANA NATIONAL CLEANER PRODUCTION CENTRE 🇳🇬 Nigeria Climate Innovation Center | WASTE Africa (Initiative for the Advancement of Waste Management in Africa) 🇩🇪 Lead - adelphi #SDGs #Oceandecade #Refuse #Protego 🌊🌊🌊 #Protego 🌊🌊🌊

Tema-New Town set to become Ghana's coastline via Asaase Broadcasting Company https://lnkd.in/ep6YcS3G #Protego 🌊🌊🌊

🌍 What happens when waste management fails? 🌊The ocean tells the story. ⚠ Last month, I visited Ghana to kick off activities for the PROTEGO - Prevention of Marine Litter in the Gulf of Guinea, which focuses on combating marine #plasticPollution in #WestAfrica (#Ghana and #Nigeria) in the #GulfOfGuinea. Funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) and managed by Zukunft – Umwelt – Gesellschaft (ZUG) gGmbH, the project is led by adelphi and implemented in collaboration with four incredible in-country partners Plastic Punch, WASTE Africa (Initiative for the Advancement of Waste Management in Africa) Nigeria Climate Innovation Center GHANA NATIONAL CLEANER PRODUCTION CENTRE . 🔎 Observations that left a lasting impression: 🔎 While identifying #waste hotspots, I witnessed something I had never seen before—ocean waves carrying piles of waste, particularly #plastic, back to the shore. It was a stark reminder of the urgent need for systemic solutions. The hotspots we examined were in dire conditions, with ineffective waste management leading to significant leakage into the sea. (Refer to photos for a glimpse of these sites.) Over the next 3 years, we will work across multiple fronts to address marine litter and waste management challenges in Ghana and Nigeria. Key activities include: 👉 Waste flow analysis: Understanding the movement of waste in identified hotspots and assessing its economic value. 👉 Innovative pilot solutions: Implementing creative and scalable interventions in these critical areas. 👉 Policy advocacy: Strengthening Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks and other waste management policies. 👉 Citizen engagement: Raising #awareness, involving communities, and establishing citizen science labs to foster local action. This inception mission highlighted the magnitude of the challenge, but it also strengthened our resolve. Ghana, with its vibrant communities and breathtaking coastal beauty, deserves better waste management systems and cleaner oceans. Let’s work together to protect the Gulf of Guinea and ensure its waters remain a source of life and inspiration, not a repository for waste. #MarineLitter #WasteManagement #CircularEconomy #PROTEGO #Sustainability Richmond Kennedy Quarcoo Letitia Abra-Kom Nyaaba Paolo Facco Mikael P. Henzler Jurgen Hannak Lena Ruthner Maren T. Chung Tran Jason McConnell Leech Mirko Zuerker Carla Pilz Clem Ugorji Ataa Konadu Amenawonyo Michael Axolu

🎥 Vivian Ahiayibor , Citi Waste Management during the #PROTEGO inception workshop in Ghana 🇬🇭 PROTEGO - Prevention of Marine Litter in the Gulf of Guinea - is a 3-year project (July 2024 – June 2027) funded by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety. Partners: 🇬🇭 Plastic Punch | @GHANA NATIONAL CLEANER PRODUCTION CENTER 🇳🇬 @Nigeria Climate Innovation Center | WASTE Africa (Initiative for the Advancement of Waste Management in Africa) 🇩🇪 Lead - adelphi #SDGs #Oceandecade #Refuse #Protego 🌊🌊🌊 #Protego 🌊🌊🌊

🎥 Amar Munnolimath, Senior Manager adelphi during the #PROTEGO inception workshop in Ghana 🇬🇭 PROTEGO - Prevention of Marine Litter in the Gulf of Guinea – Prevention of Marine Litter in the Gulf of Guinea is a 3-year project (July 2024 – June 2027) funded by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety. Partners: 🇬🇭 Plastic Punch | GHANA NATIONAL CLEANER PRODUCTION CENTRE 🇳🇬 Nigeria Climate Innovation Center | WASTE Africa (Initiative for the Advancement of Waste Management in Africa) 🇩🇪 Lead - adelphi. #SDGs #Oceandecade #Refuse #Protego 🌊🌊🌊