The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ordered a toffee manufacturing company at Akweteyman in Accra, Royal Sweets Limited, to cease all operations with immediate effect.
The order comes after Citi News exposed the excessive pollution caused by the company in the area through the emission of fumes.
Several calls for the company to control the release of the fumes due to the negative impact it was having on the health of residents in the neighbourhood had proven futile.
But a letter from the EPA addressed to the company said the Royal Sweets should cease its operations with immediate effect until it has adhered to directives set for it by the EPA.
“You are therefore directed to cease all operations with immediate effect until the above directives have been adhered to and the Agency has inspected and verified,” the letter noted.
According to the EPA’s letter, it had earlier written to the company urging it to among other things, install an effluent treatment plant, clean all oil spills in and around the RFO storage tank and install air pollution control system on the boiler but the company had failed to adhere to the directives on the corresponding dates they were expected to comply with.
Read the letter below:
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Okaikwei North Municipality, Boi Laryea had earlier told Citi News that a committee had been set up to investigate reports of the air pollution.
Residents in the area had appealed for a relocation or regularized operations of the company following what they say is the negative impact on their health and businesses.
But Mr. Laryea said the company could not be closed down immediately as such a move will have economic implications on workers at the factory.
He said the committee would present its report in two weeks.
“I’m putting together a committee. Until the committee comes out with its findings, I wouldn’t know what to do now. I’m not a technical man,” he said.
The MCE said the report would help his outfit take a decision on the matter.
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By: Caleb Kudah & Jonas Nyabor | citinewsroom.com | Ghana
