Developers are To Submit Environmental Impact Assessment

Winneba (C/R) The government has now made it mandatory for every developer to submit environmental impact assessment on every development in the country.

This is to ensure that development takes place in a sound and sustainable environment, Mrs Alice Adarkwa-Dadzie, Head of Environmental Education Department of the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), announced this at Winneba. Mrs Adarkwa-Dadzie was presenting a paper on environmental issues at a lecture organized by students of Ephraim Amu Hall of the University College of Education at Winneba(UCEW), as part of their hall week celebrations.

She said the EPA has been empowered by Act 490 of 1994 to ensure that investors comply with laid-down environmental impact assessment procedures for proper planning and execution of development projects. She said the law was enacted to ensure strict enforcement and control of environmental legislation; guide-lines on pesticides, and mining. She said as part of the government's commitment to sound environmental management, a ministry with a cabinet status has been set up to oversee sound environmental management issues. Mrs Adarkwa-Dadzie said to complement these efforts, district environmental management committees have been formed in the all the 110 districts to create the necessary environmental management awareness in towns and villages throughout the country.

She said 106 out of the 110 district assemblies have drawn up their local environmental action plan, also known as 'Agenda 21' to be implemented by the communities within their areas of jurisdiction. Mrs Adarkwa-Dadzie reminded Ghanaians of the need for every citizen to help protect the environment, saying, "the issue at stake requires a concerted efforts to save the nation from total environmental degradation".