Communities in Shama unhappy with ‘deviant’ companies
Communities in the Shama District in the Western Region, have expressed misgivings about companies that are not fulfilling their corporate social responsibilities to the people.
They said the practice had deprived the district of the needed development.
The people voiced out their displeasure during a public hearing at Aboadze on Tuesday, on a proposed 360 megawatts combined-cycle power project being undertaken by Jacobsen Elektro Holding, a Norwegian energy producing company.
The forum was organised by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in accordance with the Environmental Assessment Regulations, Legislative Instrument (LI 1652) of 1999.
It is one of the requirements provided by the law before the EPA grants an environmental permit to the company to start operations.
The programme provided a platform for the company to give details about the proposed project, its potential impact on the environment, the proposed mitigation measures it had adopted, and to address key concerns expressed by stakeholders.
Mr Lars Due, Director of Project Development of Jacobsen Elektro Holding, assured the people of the company’s preparedness to adhere strictly to the laid down regulations in order to protect the environment.
He also pledged the company’s commitment to fulfil its Corporate Social Responsibility to communities in its operational area.
Mr Staffan Asplund, Environmental Specialist of the company, promised the communities that the company had put in place mitigating measures to curtail operations that would endanger their lives.
Source: GNA