Two hundred and fifty people, with women at the center of the initiative, have been engaged in a renewed beach-cleaning programme in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region, in a move aimed at restoring coastal environments while creating employment opportunities for local residents.
The initiative, reintroduced through a partnership between Ghana National Gas Company Limited (Ghana Gas) and the Ellembelle District Assembly, has received GH¢1.5 million in funding from Ghana Gas to support its implementation across 20 communities.
The programme, launched at Sanzule on Friday, October 19, is a revival of the Eco-Brigade concept introduced in 2009 under the late President John Evans Atta Mills. It is expected to mobilize local residents to clean beaches, promote environmental responsibility and protect the coastal ecosystem.
For the women engaged under the programme, the initiative offers an opportunity to earn an income while contributing to the cleanliness of the communities in which they live. Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Gas, Judith Adjoba Blay, said the company’s support was rooted in the belief that a healthy environment was essential to the development of thriving communities.
Ms Blay said the programme had been prioritized following a request from the District Assembly, which she took to the company’s board for consideration and approval. She described the initiative as a personal commitment, given her Nzema heritage and connection to the area, and said she considered it important for Ghana Gas to support efforts to protect the environment around its operational base.
Under the arrangement, Ghana Gas will provide the funding and necessary logistics, while the District Assembly will be responsible for running the programme. The company will also supervise and monitor implementation to assess its impact and determine whether additional support or improvements are needed.
Ms Blay said the initial engagement of 250 people in Ellembelle was intended to pave the way for similar initiatives at other beaches in the Western Region.
She indicated that the company would consider extending the programme to other coastal communities, including areas around Axim, Esiama and other parts of the region, as part of its broader environmental interventions.
The initiative also forms part of Ghana Gas’s wider community development efforts, which include programmes aimed at equipping women with practical skills and creating markets for their products.
Ms Blay cited a soap-making initiative involving women in the district as an example, saying the company intended to support the women by creating a market for their products through its own operations.
Member of Parliament for Ellembelle, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, welcomed the partnership, describing it as an important intervention that would benefit local residents while protecting the district’s coastal and marine ecosystems.
He expressed appreciation to Ghana Gas for responding to the Assembly’s request, noting that the programme would provide employment opportunities for people who might otherwise struggle to find work.
“I checked the budget for 250 and I said, look at how many women are going to go to work,” he said. However, Mr Armah-Kofi Buah urged beneficiaries to approach the assignment with seriousness, warning that participation would require consistent attendance and demonstrable commitment. He said supervisors would monitor attendance and performance.
The MP also challenged the workers to look beyond the immediate task of sweeping the beaches and become advocates for proper sanitation and responsible environmental practices in their communities. “You are simply not just sweeping the beaches; you are going to be advocates for clean beaches,” he said.
He expressed optimism that the programme could be expanded from 250 to 500 beneficiaries, adding that he was considering ways to support an increase in the number of people engaged.
Mr Armah-Kofi Buah further emphasized the importance of visible development interventions in communities hosting major industrial facilities, arguing that residents should experience tangible benefits from the presence of such companies.
He said the collaboration between Ghana Gas and the District Assembly demonstrated how corporate support could be channelled into projects that addressed community needs while safeguarding the environment.
For the Ellembelle District Chief Executive, Joseph Agyekum, the revival of the Eco-Brigade presents an opportunity to restore the original vision of the programme and improve the attractiveness of the district’s coastline. Mr. Agyekum expressed hope that the renewed programme would be sustained and help transform the District’s coastal communities into attractive destinations for visitors.
The DCE said maintaining clean beaches and preventing environmental degradation would be essential to achieving that ambition. He stressed that the programme should not be treated as a short-term exercise, but as a sustained intervention capable of improving environmental conditions and creating wider economic opportunities.
The reintroduction of the Eco-Brigade comes at a time when coastal communities face growing pressure to protect their natural resources while improving local livelihoods.
With GH¢1.5 million committed to the initiative and 250 people expected to begin work across 20 communities, its success will depend not only on the provision of funding and equipment, but also on effective supervision, consistent participation and the commitment of residents to maintaining cleaner beaches.
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