Officials of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are unable to embark on the routine inspection of some expatriate companies because of wild dogs that some of their guests release to drive them away.
The worst culprits, according to The Chronicle’s source at the EPA, are some Chinese who own companies in parts of Tema.
Before they release their dogs to chase out the Ghanaian officers on duty tour to companies and residences to ensure the environment is clean for human habitation, some of the Chinese pretend they do not understand the English Language, when the EPA staff attempt to engage them.
When the EPA officials press harder and insist they need to carry out inspections of their premises, the Chinese let loose of their dogs to scare the former away.
Some of the Chinese companies are non-compliant with the regulations of the EPA but because they allegedly pay ‘good money’, their workplaces are not strictly inspected.
Eventually, the MMDAs’ Environmental and Sanitation Departments pass these Chinese companies with fantastic remarks.
A Chinese company at Kpone-Katamanso Municipality, for example, haphazardly treats plastic wastes which end up at the beach of Kpone.
The Chronicle’s source at the EPA said upon tip off and complaints from the community, they sent some officials to observe the situation and report same to the Agency.
The situation was a sorry one. Later when ‘high’ officers from the EPA paid an unannounced visit to the said Chinese company, they rubbished the Ghanaian officers who stayed resolute to carry out their task. However the Chinese released a dog from nowhere to chase them out.
During his three-day tour of some industries in Tema, Dr Henry Kwabena Kokofu, the EPA Executive Director, with some officers from the EPA and media visited another Chinese company at Kpone, where the initial reception was unpleasant.
Initially, the hosts refused the officers entry to their main office until the EPA Executive Director arrived.
The workplace was sickening with houseflies buzzing around.
The Chronicle’s source at the EPA explained that their inability to go on their routine inspection tours with armed police personnel as they used to do due to lack of money to pay for the services of the police.
Some years ago, the source said the Tema Regional Police Command deployed three armed uniformed personnel to go on their tour with them.
“It was not free…we (EPA) paid but we lack funds now so we are unable to request the deployment of police personnel to go on such high risk tours with us. So we have adopted a plan ‘B’, which is, we first communicate with the Ghanaian partners of these Chinese companies to be present on the day of our visit to speak their language with them,” the source noted.
The Chronicle’s source at the EPA was of the view that should the Agency get constant police protection at some reasonable charge and with financial support from Ghanaians who really understand the functions of the EPA, it would not relent going hard at most of these expatriate companies whose activities are constantly threatening the environment.
The post Chinese Set Wild Dogs On EPA Officials appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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