The operation of the Ghana Bauxite at the Takoradi Port is posing serious environmental and health threat to thousands of fishermen and hawkers during shipment.
The droppings from the conveyer belt of the bauxite company had actually heaped bauxite resulting in a blockade of the entrances of the Fisheries Commission office at the port and another office operating in the area.
When the Daily Graphic contacted the offices of the company one Mr Joe Nsiah of Ghana Bauxite said they had a similar problem from another company at the port and they cleared it themselves, therefore, the fisher folks, Commission and those concerned should find a way of clearing the mess.
At the moment, the fisher folks and the traders complained about the droppings from the conveyer belt, the stones which they claimed have been hitting the heads of the traders’ children who dangerously play under the belt.
That aside, when the company is making shipment, the fishermen could not transport their equipment to the fisheries workshop since the droppings from the belt had been smashing the windscreens of vehicles carrying their fishing gears to the shore.
When the Daily Graphic got to the scene, the team observed a building under the belt, which was said to be in existence before the construction of the belt, completely washed with the colours of the bauxite.
The building belonging to the fisheries commission, which had the entrance to the storeroom where the fishermen keep their nets and other tools, was also completely blocked.
According to one of the fishermen, Nana Kofi Apraku, they have serious problems with Ghana Bauxite for which they had petitioned the fisheries commission on many occasions to help call the company is attention to the situation but to no avail.
“All we want is for the company to address, how their operations have been impeding our ability to carry out our operations legitimately but nobody cares,” he lamented.
At the time the Daily Graphic got to the place, the officer was actually sweating profusely since he had to close the window to prevent the droppings from entering the office during shipment.
The officials of the Western Regional office of the National Fisheries Commission said they had written several letters to the company but they were yet to act.
It said when the belt was constructed they had some form of protective cover which prevented the bauxite from spilling during shipment. But since that cover peeled-off, they had to inhale the dust of the stone droppings from the belt for years.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it would be investigating the issue to ensure that the right thing was done.
It deplored the situation and said everything possible would be done to ensure that the right thing is done.
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