Twenty industries to face court action
Twenty industries to face court action
Accra (Greater Accra Region) 18 May 2000
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has given 20 industrial firms throughout the country, 30 days to reduce their pollution levels or face prosecution.
The firms include Pioneer Food Company, Ghana Textiles Printing Company Limited (GTP), Tema Lube Oil Company and Ghana Agro-Food Company (GAFCO).
Dr Peter Acquah, Executive Director of EPA, said this in Accra at a workshop on guidelines for the sound management of bio-medical waste in Ghana.
He said the EPA has since last week written to the firms to submit plans on reducing their industrial effluents.
Dr Acquah said the waste generation and discharge of the firms are beyond the approved threshold. He said industries that do not meet the 30-day deadline would be prosecuted.
Dr Acquah said the EPA is training some of its staff on judicial and prosecution processes to effectively handle and prosecute firms that pollute the environment. Waste management in Ghana is still poor with most waste treatment plants broken down.
Dr Acquah said hospital waste management is very poor although this kind of waste is directly linked to human health because of its hazardous characteristics.
Mrs Emelia Brew-Butler, Environmental and Health Consultant and Executive Director of Emellord Associates Limited, who presented a paper on the Current Practice of Hospital Waste Management in Ghana, suggested that each health institution should adopt measures to ensure proper management of bio-medical waste.
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Accra (Greater Accra Region) 18 May 2000
An Accra Circuit Tribunal on Wednesday remanded a foreman and a night watchman in custody for allegedly taking turns to defile a 14-year-old girl.
Bright Amoah, a 51-year-old foreman and Joseph Appiah a 63-year-old watchman pleaded not guilty and were granted 10 million cedis bail each. The case has been adjourned to June 12.
Presenting the case before the tribunal chaired by Mrs Elizabeth Anderson Yebuah, Inspector Emmanuel T. Boison, said the victim who sells "yakayake" after school was lured by Amoah into an uncompleted building on April 4, and forcibly had sex with her.
During the act, he heard some footsteps and became frightened. He got up and gave the victim 6,000 cedis and warned her not to tell anyone.
Inspector Boison said on April 24, Appiah also lured her into a room and sexually assaulted her.
Appiah, who had no money, took the victim to the house of two witnesses alleging that he had credited 2,000 cedis worth of "yakayake" and pleaded with them to assist him to pay her. The victim told her parents who made a report to the Police and had them arrested.
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