Executive Director of Ghana's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Henry Kwabena Kokofu has expressed disgust over the construction of a cement factory at Weija in Accra.
The factory, Empire Cement Ghana Ltd, according to the EPA Boss, is producing and distributing cement without authorization.
Empire Cement's new 1Mta cement plant is being built in partnership with Obokom Civil Engineering Ltd and expected to be commissioned in June 2022.
The EPA Boss revealed that the cement company is operating beyond its permit.
He elucidated that the company was given permit to produce cement bags only but the EPA later found out that it was rather manufacturing cement.
He further disclosed that the company petitioned the Sector Minister, Hon Abu Jinapor accusing the EPA of victimisation and enforcing laws arbitrarily, when the latter attempted to have the company closed down.
According to Kokufu, to ensure fairness, the Minister then set up a Committee to look into the matter and the Committee's report proved that Empire Cement Ghana is operating illegally on the site.
Therefore, the Agency has revoked the permit and ordered the company to stop work with immediate effect.
"The report is clear that the company has encroached on the laws of the country. EPA is right...It shouldn't have been there", Mr. Kokofu stated but added the management of the company has ignored the warning, "now, it is 98 percent completed".
Expounding on how the company continued to build despite being ordered to stop, he said; "When it was 2 percent, even 1%, the stop order came. We apprehended them and their staff to the Regional Police Command. The records are there. We were preparing them for court and so forth.
"Stop work, stop work but we are in a country where when you are seriously doing something, then someone is also encouraging it that it even reached a point that in spite of the Minister setting up a Committee and the Committee telling them to stop work, around 8/9/10/11 O'clock, you will find the facility at a certain level. In the morning and afternoon, you won't find no one but in the night, you will see it at a certain level. Now, they are at this point."
However, Mr. Kokofu hined that the company may be demolished soon.
"We have not permitted that facility. Yes! EPA has not permitted; in fact, they have infringed on the rules and regulations and the laws of this country...It can be dismantled!"
He made these comments on Peace FM's morning show "Kokrokoo".
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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What will the minister do about noise pollution all over the country including disturbancies from irresponsible churches within residential premisses since the situation affects our health.
Point of correction. Abu Jinapor is not the sector minister in charge of the EPA. Please check the accuracy of your reportage
What stops EPA from enforcing the law. Please buildings on CSIR lands are coming down. Buildings on water ways are coming down. The company was given several warnings until it was taken to court to buy time. We all read on the social media. These foreign companies are misusing their stay in Ghana. Look at what the Chinese refugees have done to our water bodies. Enough is enough.
The major challenge facing Ghana is our institutions. They are always reactive instead of being proactive. Where was the EPA all this while. Why didn't they stop the manufacturer at the initial stages. Why will a state institution clothed with all the powers wait for people to start building on state lands from foundation to roofing level only for you to send heavy duty equipments to demolish them. Why? How are the galamsay kingpins able to move earthmoving equipment through communities into the middle of the forest to destroy the environment. This machines don't operate in silence, they produce a lot of noise and smoke which can be heard and seen from afar. Why allow someone to use his or her lifetime savings to build a house only for you to go and pull down. Obama knew exactly what he meant by ' Africa doesn't need strong men, what it needs are strong institutions '. If the institutions were working illegal developers will be stopped at the foundation level. NDC, same old story, NPP worse, so Ghanaians don't know who will come save them . If your late father bequeathed to you a house, if you can't add more rooms you don't demolish it. Which government in the fourth republic planted a single tree in the Achimota forest and yet wants to share it among themselves, if your predissesors were thinking like you, would you have come to meet these properties? Or you think they didn't know the value of land. A group of inward looking, greedy, selfish, self centered, wicked, arrogant and vision less people who represents nobody but themselves. Shiaaaaaaa.
Please...please for God’s sake!! Did I hear the minister/EPA capo say it ‘may’ be dismantled or it ‘WILL’ be dismantled? We should be serious as a nation and enforce our laws against any foreign aggression in the business sphere especially from the Chinese. Mr ‘EPA Boss/ Minister’ please be resolute and firm to do what’s right for posterity sake... please 🙏🏾
We want to see concrete action being taken on this. It is only in Ghana this can happen. In a fully residential area. How can these Chinese be doing this in Ghana and to Ghanaians. They don't respect or fear anyone in Ghana because of what they can offer to individual and flout the laws of this country. This lawlessness must stop now. No one will be allowed to do this in China.