Residents of Ohwim-Akusu petitions EPA over pollution

Kumasi, Aug. 9, GNA - Some residents of Ohwim-Akusu, a suburb of Kumas= i are against 93T&Y" Company, producers of mayflower toilet roll and assor= ted plastic materials, for polluting the area with the company's waste. They claimed that air, and water bodies are fast becoming unsafe as a result of disposal of the company's waste.

They, therefore, petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to intervene to get 93T&Y" to do the right thing. Mr Sam Kotei, Spokesman of the community, expressed worry that the people were of late being diagnosed of respiratory infections including asthma was disturbing. He blamed the unhealthy development on the poisonous smoke they had been forced to daily inhale from the company's chimney. Mr Kotei said residents, who drink from a stream running through the community, have been reporting of complicated diseases He said despite several complaints raised by the people, management of the company had remained adamant.

Mr Kotei said the residents found it difficult to understand why approval was given to the company to operate in the area, and were curious about the seeming delay by the EPA to deal decisively with the issue. An Assistant Supervisor of the Company, Mr Clement Tetteh, rejected th= e claim that the operation of 93T&Y" was causing widespread pollution, say= ing it has stayed within safety standards and policy guidelines of the EPA. He said the Company had stepped up efforts at making their operation more environmental-friendly and had acquired a-state-of-the-art chimney equipment to reduce the smoke nuisance. Mr Isaac Osei, Ashanti Regional Director of the EPA, vowed to act quickly to address their concerns, and told the Ghana News Agency that EPA had already asked the company to replace its chimney machine.