GNC complies with EPA directives to stop the pollution of Tano River

The Ghana Nuts Company Limited at Techiman in the Bono East region has taken steps to address the environmental concerns raised by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in its operations.

The EPA during a site inspection at the factory directed the company to take immediate steps to prevent its wastewater from polluting the Tano River which is the source of potable water for some people in the Techiman municipality and its environs.

The company has since complied with the directives and was currently planning to install a modern facility to enable it to reuse the wastewater to prevent those waters from entering the river.

It has also acquired compressors which are fully operational to improve filtration to reduce Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD).

Additionally, the company has directed its wastewater to pass through pipes to enable it to detect leakages that could enter the Tano river while a laboratory with demarcated sampling points have been set up to test the level of pollution of the wastewater.

Mr. Kwadwo Obeng Aboagye, General Manager of GNC told EPA officials during a follow-up visit to the factory over the weekend that the main aim of the company was to give employment opportunities to the youth in the area and not to engage in any activity that could harm the people.

He said the company would continue to work hard to improve its production process to ensure that its activities did not cause any environmental damage.

Mr. Samuel Oteng, Ashanti Regional Director of EPA who led the team to inspect the site encouraged management of the company to cooperate with EPA to protect the environment as well as the aquatic life of the river.

Samples of the river water were collected by EPA for the purpose of analyses.