The sea when turned black after the spillage
THE Accra East Acting Head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Mrs. Irene Opoku (EPA) has confirmed that marine diesel had indeed been washed ashore at Ayigboe, a fishing Community in the Ada East District of the Greater Accra Region.
“From what we have seen so far, the amount of marine diesel discharged off ashore could be quite great but we believe that with the movements of high tides it could be washed back into the sea,” Mrs Opoku stated.
She has, however, advised people in the community, mostly fisherfolks, to stay off the area as authorities put measures in place to clean the mess.
According to her, the smell of the hydrocarbon emanating from the area as a result of the oil spillage could have negative health implications on those who might frequent the scene.
“With petroleum products, when you inhale them, it affects your respiration. When you inhale a lot of what we call volatile organic compounds, you could get choked and it also can lead to dizziness,” Mrs. Opoku said during an official tour of EPA officers to the area on Wednesday.
“It is something that has effects on human life. They can probably stay away from the area from sometime and after a while they can resume their fishing business.”
Meanwhile, the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) together with the Ghana Wild Life Department of Forest Commission have launched investigations into the oil spillage and its effect on aquatic life.
Traces of the spillage started forming on the coast of Ayigboe last Tuesday and the colour change in the water put fear in the community who abandoned fishing activities.
According to the residents, they saw a container on the sea suspected to contain oil and they later noticed that the colour of the water has changed and was releasing unpleasant odour.
They thought the container was holding dirty oil but got damaged on the sea due to the high tides that kept hitting it hence the spillage.
But EPA officials thought otherwise and said such attribution should be disregarded.
It was also noticed that the colour of the sea has returned to normal a day after the incident.
From Vincent Kubi, Ayigboe