The Director-General of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has described as criminal, reported activities of two companies (names withheld) in the Volta Region who have diverted from their fish-farming mandate and are mysteriously escavating a section of the river bank.
According to him, this is an environmental crime being committed in the South Dayi constituency after MP for the area had drawn his attention to the situation.
He pledged that once the EPA has been made aware a team will be despatched to the constituency for the necessary action to be taken.
The EPA boss, Mr. Henry Kokofu, gave this assurance at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) sitting on Wednesday when member for South Dayi, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor drew his attention to the phenomenon.
The MP revealed that the two companies were given permits to engage in cage fish farming on river but for some reason they began escavating the hill along the river.
He indicated that this activity, which appears to be a sort of surface mining has destroyed the terpidity of the water making it unwholesome for domestic use.
“You know we don’t have pipe-borne water so it is the river we use for our domestic needs and boil some for drinking.”
“The water is clear and fresh but since these companies began their activities the water has become very dirty and no longer fit for domestic use,” he said.
According to him, what makes the whole operation mysterious is that the companies carry out their excavating activity in the dead of the night.
Hon. Dafeamekpor stated that he had complained to the Volta Regional branch of the EPA about the destructive activities of the companies but to no avail and urged the EPA Director-General to investigate the matter and take the appropriate action.
Mr. Kokofu in response, urged the Member of Parliament to report the activities of the companies to the police while the EPA also looks into it.
Source: MyPublisher24.com