RE: Dunkonah residents fight Chinese over life-threatening steel factory

First of all, we are scandalized by the decision of the writer “William Beeko” not to have made any attempt at contacting us for our side of the story before going to press and to the extent of posting a wrong photograph, as best journalism standards suggest, since this article tarnishes the hard earned reputation and brand of our company.

This conspicuous lack of due diligence goes to suggest some form of malice or perhaps an attempt by our competitors to discredit such huge investments or distract us.

Interestingly, we have not received any petition from residents or perceived “concerned homeowners” and for that matter we are completely shocked about your allusion to “a brewing cold-war” in Dunkunah. Whoever your source is has greatly misled you and intentionally misrepresented the facts to suit his/her mischievous intentions.

Kindly note that, our project is a light-industrial factory which has been zoned for that purpose by the Ga South Municipal Assembly and has as well been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. The project does not pose any threat to the community within which it is situated. This is because, the project has been thoughtfully placed in the valley in order to adequately absorb noise produced, if any, to reduce any undesirable impact on the surroundings.

Moreover, there are no emissions of heat whatsoever (due to the cold scientific processes employed) or any by-products with undesirable effects that may be detrimental to the health and livelihoods of those residing in that enclave. Let me put on record that unlike other factories, we do not burn fuel or other combustible materials but rather implement a more environmentally friendly scientific process in our production.

Obviously, some liquid and solid waste would be produced. However, septic tanks would be constructed to absorb them as such. During the operational phase of the project, the bulk of the solid waste that would be generated would come from the offices and warehouses in the form of papers and packaging from production floor and packaging sections. Another form of waste would be scrap metals from off-cuts of metal fabrication works as well as discarded machinery.

Since we do not smelt or burn metal, these wastes would be segregated at source and clearly labeled for collection by appropriate waste collection contractors and sold to the main smelting companies for recycling. Packaging materials would be re-used as and when appropriate and in good condition.

Contrary to your story, the project has opened up the area and created conditions for economic activities that would boost employment opportunities for the surrounding communities which would significantly contribute to the socio-economic development of the country. Little must be said about the boost to the manufacturing sub-sector share of the country’s GDP and a tremendous cut in imports of these products thereby reducing the pressure on the balance of payments (exchange rate deficits).

You can be assured that, as a reputable company, our objective is to implement, operate and manage the Steel products and manufacturing facility in the most environmentally responsible manner as possible in order to win social acceptance, meet the national and international environmental standards and regulations as well as market standards to ensure sustainability of the project.

We would like to invite any of your reporters to our production site in order to have a firsthand experience of the above mentioned interventions. We are counting on your usual co-operation and professionalism in setting the records straight on this matter. We would appreciate a retraction of the story or a representation of the exact facts as stated. Thanks.

Yours faithfully,

……………………………

Hu Dong Ming

Managing Director