The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has warned that Empire Cement Ghana Limited could be required to relocate if it fails to address dust pollution from its operations.
The warning follows the EPA’s shutdown of the factory on September 14 after investigations into alleged air pollution and nuisance linked to its operations.
Speaking to Citi News, the EPA’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of Operations, Prof. Michael Ayamga-Adongo, said the company had engaged the Authority and assured it that it could upgrade its technology to reduce dust emissions.
“We know that where public health and public safety are at stake, we are supposed to act on behalf of the people, on behalf of human life. That is why we took that decision to close down Empire Cement. The last time we had a discussion, we told the entity to relocate.
“They have engaged with us, and they have assured us that they can upgrade their technology to accommodate and reduce the dust that is coming from the production of cement,” he said.
Prof. Ayamga-Adongo warned that any failure of the company’s pollution-control technology could have serious consequences for residents living nearby.
He also acknowledged persistent tensions between Empire Cement Ghana and residents in the surrounding communities, noting that the disputes had generated repeated complaints about the factory’s operations.
“We must admit that the inhabitants and the neighbours of Empire Cement have consistently been at loggerheads with the company, and they are taking everybody to court, even including us. And the way in which even Empire Cement came to be is contentious and, to a certain degree, suspicious,” he said.
The EPA official suggested that the investor might have been misled by parties involved in establishing the factory, adding that the Authority was now working to address the situation despite the potential financial implications for the investor.
“Much as we feel for the investor, we think that he was misled by some entities who should have known better and who should have acted on behalf of the people and not based on any interest that has brought us here. Unfortunately, it is now our time to do the correction, and correction is always painful,” he said.
