Traditional Authorities and some residents within the Weija Gbawe Municipality are giving the Environmental Protection Agency a month ultimatum to grant the needed permit to Empire Cement located within the Weija Gbawe enclave to operate. Failure to do so, they are threatening to besiege the premises of the EPA and subsequently ensure that the factory begins operation.
There have been earlier complains of possible pollution should the factory be allowed to operate within the enclave.
Although works on the factory is complete the lack of permit from the Environmental Protection Agency is preventing them from operating.
Notwithstanding, some residents have since the begining of the construction process of the factory vehemently opposed to its sighting in the enclave.
Last week, some residents mounted a demonstration against the situation of the factory in the area.
But the traditional authorities and some other residents argue that the factory is five hundred metres away from the community hence making it safer to operate.
Addressing the press, Mr Kwaku Danso who is the President of the Cumulative Residents Association of South-West Machathy comprising of Tetegu, Mendskrom, Weija, Oblogo, Aplaku and Gbawe , urged the government to issue at least a temporary working permit to Empire Cement Factory to commence operation subject to yearly renewal, so that government through the Enironmental Protection Agency can access the environmental and traffic impact of the company and can withdraw the permit if it does not meet the Environmental Safety standards
He described as malicious, the claims by the McCarthy Hills Residents Association who linked the Empire Cement Factory as Galamsey and added that, the McCarthy Hills Residents Association is made up of a few elite residents who live on the hill top and will not be in any way affected by the activities of the factory.
Kwaku Danso further added that, the factory when in operation is expected to employ about 13,000 people which will help ease the rate of unemployment in the municipality and country at large.
Alos, Andrew Oppong Amoako is the presiding member for the Weija Gbawe Municipal Assembly. He said, the government should intimate it’s commitment to supporting investors by seeing to the operationalization of Empire Cement factory else they are going to hit the street and demonstrate against the government because the EPA boss Mr Henry Kwabena Kokofu is playing selfish game refusing to grant the factory permit to operate.