The Energy Commission of Ghana has ordered a British waste management company, EnviroCom, to re-export 57 containers of banned refrigerators it illegally imported into the country within seven days. The government on January 1, 2013 banned second-hand and inefficient refrigerators which have the ozone depleting gas, chlorofluorocarbons (CFC). Such fridges release into the environment toxic substances such as metal lead, chemicals such as phthalates as well as chlorinated dioxins known to promote cancer.The Executive Director of the Commission, Dr Alfred Ofosu Ahenkorah, told a section of the media that the company, which calls itself the UK’s largest electrical re-use and recycling company, defied the ban and advice of the government to desist from exporting the items to Ghana.He explained that EnviroCom could be surcharged and ordered to disassemble and recycle the consignment if it failed to comply with the seven-day re-export ultimatum, which was issued out in a letter sent out on December 19. The Energy Commission has already impounded 2,000 refrigerators from the Takoradi port alone which it had disassembled and extracted the CFC gas from, separated the remains into aluminium and copper and recycled for other uses.Dr Ahenkorah added that 400 refrigerators had also been seized from Tema with additional 300 expected shortly to be recycled at the Kwabenya collection and dismantling yard, where old refrigerators are sent for safe removal of CFC gas and government sponsored discount vouchers given out to subsidise new ones.The Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Mr Armah Kofi-Buah, said at the same programme that the refrigerator rebate and turn-in scheme had been scaled up to cover the entire country.It is estimated that for every efficient refrigerator introduced, an average of 500kWh a year would be saved.The energy minister said refrigerator mechanics in the country had also been trained in servicing, refrigerant handling and safety. Although the ban came into force on January 1, this year shipments that pre-dated the ban were allowed into the country.The British newspaper, the Guardian, however claimed on November 4, 2013 that it had seen documents which showed that the fridges were shipped from Britain to Ghana in August this year, months after the ban came into force.The newspaper further quoted sources at EnvironCom as saying that it sold second-hand fridges to third parties to ship to Ghana and that it was not responsible for delays during the shipping process.A study by Greenpeace found that about 75 per cent of second-hand goods imported to Africa could not be reused. In Ghana, dumped fridges and computers were releasing hazardous substances into the environment. These include toxic metal lead; chemicals such as the phthalates DEHP and DBP, which are known to interfere with sexual reproduction; and chlorinated dioxins known to promote cancer.Ghana, the first country in West Africa to introduce the ban, is bent on seizing the banned fridges once they arrive at its ports.

  A 40-year-old unemployed on Tuesday told an Accra circuit court that he did not have sex with a mentally challenged girl but fondled her breast. Emmanuel Ashirifi Quarshie, charged with carnal knowledge of a female idiot, pleaded not guilty and the court admitted him to bail in the sum of GH¢ 20,000 with two sureties. Quarshie is to reappear before the court presided over by Ms Ellen V. Amoah on January 22. Prosecuting Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbire told the court that the complainant Clara Serwah Ningson is a nurse, who resides at Laterbiokoshie. She is also the mother of the victim. Prosecution said the victim 26, is a hairdresser apprentice, who is mentally challenged. The accused person also goes about in the neighbourhood helping people with menial jobs. On December 4, this year at about 8:00pm, prosecution said the complainant returned from church and met the victim descending from the top floor of their story building. The complainant became suspicious and questioned the victim who disclosed that the accused person had had sex with her on the stair case. The complainant reported the matter to the Police where the victim was issued with a medical form for examination and treatment. Prosecution said during investigations, it was disclosed that some unscrupulous persons in the neighbourhood had taken advantage of her plight. Accused person was however, arrested and efforts are being made to arrest the other persons who have been taking advantage of her.  

  An entire family comprising a man and his two wives as well as children were banished from Walewale on the night of December 24 for an alleged recalcitrant behaviour towards the Paramount chief of Wungu.   Mr Fuseini Bawa and his family were thrown out of their house on the orders of the Wungu Naba, Alhaji Saaka Sulemana, saying he did not deserve to live in the community for his alleged stubbornness and threatening to sue him (Chief). Information gathered by the Ghana News Agency had it that many people gave cattle  to a Fulani herdsman to take care of  but he sold the animals to people who also had cattle with him, creating multiple owners. The Fulani herdsman sensed danger and bolted leaving the cattle behind, creating conflict among the buyers. The Wungu Naba intervened and distributed the cattle and in the process denied the banished man who also had cattle with the Fulani herdsman. He complained that he was unjustifiably treated through a lawyer and this led to his banishment.   Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Simon Peter Akabati, the West Mamprusi District Police Commander, told the GNA that DISEC set up a committee and asked the Traditional Council to settle the matter amicably. He said Bawa did not accept the settlement by the Traditional Council and wrote a letter demanding 26 cattle within five days and failure would result in him taking legal action against the chief. According DSP Akabadti, the chief became furious and banished him since according to their tradition, subjects did not dictate to chiefs. A civil society group based in Walewale that pleaded anonymity described the incident as a big slap on the face of human rights advocacy and an affront to the fundamental human rights of the banished family. It said the family was thrown out of their own house in the cold hours of the night, which was dehumanizing. The organization said it was even surprising that the matter was sent to the District Security Committee but it failed to resolve the matter and called on the Police Service and the National Security Agencies to act. The banished man has arrived at Nalerigu to complain to the Nayire who has authority over the entire Mamprugu and the GNA learnt the Nayiri had sent a three-man delegation to Walewale to resolve the matter.