Agri Local

Chinese Fishing Company Polluting Volta Lake – Residents of Asutsuare Bare Teeth

The health of residents of some communities in Asutsuare in the Greater Accra Region is at risk owing to the apathy of the Environmental Protection energy to confront China Fujian Fishing Ghana Limited, a Chinese fishing company operating on the catchment areas of the Volta Lake.

Residents of the area are baring their teeth at the company whom they accuse of polluting the Volta Lake with harmful chemicals during their fishing activities.

Some residents who spoke in an interview with Rite news lamented about the activities of the company and charged authorities to call the erring company to order.

The use of chemicals, they say, is responsible for the massive pollution of the water body.

“They make cages in the water in which they rear the fishes and tilapia. They also use high quantities of the chemicals in feeding the stock and we are at risk of health implications in the near future,” one distraught resident complained to Rite news.

Another resident told Rite news that the Chinese also pollute the Lake with their fecal matter as well as the waste of the fish.

“These Chinese drop the waste product of the fish into the lake and they have also connected their toilet facility into the same lake while others also depend on these same water for drinking and other domestic uses,” he charged.

We have appealed to the authorities involved for solution but nothing has been done, another resident added.

While effluents and raw chemicals sewage continue to be dumped into the lake, residents have complained that not only the water in the lake has turned its colour, it seems unfit to drink.

The Volta Lake is among the main sources of water for most people including the people of Asutsuare. However, the lake also receives the bulk of untreated sewage and other wastewater from the fast growing population located on the banks of the lake including Asutsuare and surrounding communities.

The residents of the area are thus calling on authorities to come to their aid and check the activities of the various Chinese factories operating in the district since their activities are polluting their water bodies.

MP Blames Chiefs, EPA for Problem

Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for the Shai Osudoku constituency, Hon Linda Akweley Ocloo while confirming the operations of China Fujian Fishing Ghana Limited at Asutsuare in an interview with Rite news said the complaints of the residents had come to her attention.

She raised concerns of the operations of the company and others in the district and blamed the chiefs of the area for releasing lands to various expatriate companies without necessarily looking out for what specifically they intend using the lands for.

The law maker also expressed disappointment in the Environmental Protection Agency for shirking its responsibilities in ensuring that various companies operating various factories in the district operate within required guidelines despite persistent complaints from residents.

She recalled the air pollution from activities of the Shinefeel Ghana Company Limited, a toiletries and plastics manufacturing Chinese company at Asutsuare which reportedly affected the health of some two thousand students of the Osudoku Senior High Technical School until its closure.

Source: Joyce Bedeley/ritefmonline.org/jbedeley9357@gmail.com

 

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