Environmental Health Directorate orders exhumation of dead fishes

Sekondi, (W/R), Sept. 27, GNA — The Sekondi-Takoradi Environmental Health Directorate has ordered the immediate exhumation of the dead fishes allegedly killed by chemicals in Butuah lagoon and buried at the New Takoradi beach.

According to the STMA Environmental Health Officer, Mr. Ahmed Sule, the exhumation has become necessary to prevent unscrupulous individuals to secretly exhume them for sale to unsuspecting people.

He said the decision was reached after rigorous meetings of the Ghana Health Service, Environmental Protection Agency, Sekondi-Takoradi Environmental Health Directorate and the two oil companies operating at the estuary of the lagoon - Goil and Service Oil at Sekondi. The meetings were held yesterday.

Mr. Sule said the Environmental Health Directorate wanted to bury the dead fishes at an appropriate landfill site after they have been treated to avert any health risk.

He asked the residents of new Takoradi to avoid fishing or swimming in the polluted lagoon to avert ailments.