Henry Kwabena Kokofu, the executive director of Ghana's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has voiced his anger with the development of a cement factory in Weija in Accra.
According to the EPA Boss, the plant, Empire Cement Ghana Ltd, is illegally making and distributing cement.
The new 1Mta cement mill for Empire Cement is being developed in collaboration with Obokom Civil Engineering Ltd and is scheduled to be operational in June 2022.
The EPA Boss disclosed that the cement industry is using more energy than is allowed.
He explained that although the firm initially only had a licence to make cement bags, the EPA subsequently discovered that it was actually making cement.
He further revealed that when the EPA tried to shut down the firm, the company petitioned the Sector Minister, Hon. Abu Jinapor, accusing him of victimising the company and applying the law unfairly.
Kokufu claims that in order to guarantee justice, the Minister then established a Committee to look into the situation, and the Committee's findings established that Empire Cement Ghana is using the site illegally.
As a result, the Agency has cancelled the permit and mandated that the firm cease operations right now.
"The corporation has clearly violated national legislation, according to the investigation. EPA is correct. It shouldn't have been there", Mr. Kokofu claimed but added the management of the corporation has ignored the warning, "today, it is 98 percent done".
He went on to explain how the business kept expanding despite being told to halt; "The stop order was issued when the percentage reached 2% or even 1%. To the Regional Police Command, we detained them along with their personnel. There are records. We were getting them ready for court and other things.
"Stop working! However, in this country, even when something is being done seriously, someone will often encourage it. As a result, despite the Minister appointing a committee and the committee ordering them to stop working, you will still find the facility operating at a certain level around 8/9/10/11 o'clock.
At some point, you'll be able to view it. They are now in this situation.
However, Mr. Kokofu made a hint that the business would soon be destroyed.
"We didn't approve that facility. Yes, the EPA did not provide permission; rather, they violated the country's laws and regulations. It can be taken apart!
On the morning programme "Kokrokoo" on Peace FM, he made these remarks.