MCE asks EPA o conduct further tests on Butuah Lagoon

Captain Anthony Cudjoe (rtd), Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Chief Executive, on Wednesday asked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct further scientific tests on the Butuah Lagoon at New Takoradi to inform the Assembly’s decision to lift the ban on fishing in the lagoon.

He said the tests are necessary to prevent re-occurrence of the fish kill in the lagoon about seven months ago which led to the ban on fishing.

He made the call at a stakeholders meeting on the lagoon convened by the Metropolitan Assembly at Sekondi.

He said a buffer zone should be created around the lagoon to stop the dumping of garbage and waste materials close to the lagoon.

Captain Cudjoe said, there was also the need to identify polluters of the lagoon and work with them to stop the practice.

He said the Metropolitan Assembly would step up its education on the environment at New Takoradi and assist the community to keep its environment clean.

Mr. Yaw Sarfo-Afriyie, Western Regional Director of the EPA, said investigations conducted by the agency in the lagoon has revealed that the fish kill was as a result of the presence of volatile poisons in the lagoon which affected the quality of water.

He said the pollution could have been caused by fishing with chemicals and application of pesticides by vegetable farmers along the lagoon.

Mr. Sarfo-Afriyie said fishermen in the community must be educated on proper methods of fishing, and they should desist from using chemicals for fishing.

He said vegetable farmers within the Butuah Catchment area must be educated on the proper use of agrochemicals.**