Mr Henry Kokofu addressing the media , and with him is Mr Ebenezer Appah- Sampong and Mrs Esi Nerquaye.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has cautioned dealers and traders of sub-standard pesticides to desist from the act or face prosecution.
Executive Director of EPA, Henry Kwabena Kokofu, said the agency is engaging the police to assist them arrest persons involved in such acts.
He has, therefore, given such dealers two-week ultimatum to desist from the act or face arrest and prosecution.
“Our investigations revealed that some of these dealers also trade in fertilisers which are sub-standard,” he stated, adding that “since we cannot compromise the environmental integrity of the country, we will go after them, especially when we do not know the chemical compositions of these products.”
The Executive Director revealed that, from their investigations, they also discovered that some multi- national companies engaged in the production of these chemicals are also retailing the products, which breach our trade laws.
He said the said companies have been warned, and if they continue to engage in the trade, EPA will take them to court.
The acting Director in charge of Laboratory Services and Environmental Quality, Esi Nerquaye, said statistics on noise pollution collected across the country has indicated that Accra makes the most noise in the country.
She said last year alone, EPA received a total of 271 complaints from Accra, and investigations conducted affirmed the complaints.
“Currently we have started with awareness creation and we asked the Metropolitan/Municipal and District Assemblies to assist in putting such persons in check,” she disclosed, stressing that, the EPA and the assemblies have the mandate to regulate the noise level in every area; be it residential or industrial, and urged the assemblies not to grant permit to drinking spots and churches to operate in areas with low noise level.
She also urged the assemblies to get their own sound level meters in order to properly check such persons.
“The Municipal District and Metropolitan Assemblies have been given the mandate to arrest such persons and prosecute them, and we would encourage them to assist in this regard,” she noted.
Ebenezer Appah-Sampong, Deputy Executive Director in charge of Technical Service, in an address said EPA is working hard to complete its laboratory in Tema to test any chemical imported into the country.
He said EPA is also on track in checking the activities of filling stations in the country, and urged the district assemblies not to grant permit to individuals or organisations whose activities have not been passed by the EPA to operate.
On sand winning, he said EPA is engaging the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) and the Ghana Police Service (GPS) to arrest sand winners engaged in smuggling of sand at the various beaches to Togo to sell.
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey