Accra, Sept. 13, GNA - Some residents of North Industrial Area in Accra have complained about the discharge of effluent from Kinapharma Company into open drains in the area, saying it posed health risk to them.

A number of residents told the GNA that the stench from the effluent gave them nausea.

A firewood seller, Ms Amena Abukari said the discharge of the effluent had been regular and she had complained to the Management of the Company but it had done nothing about it. Mr Daniel Opoku, a Communication Centre Operator, said the situation posed danger to the children, who played around. Another resident Mr Kenneth Andoh, a Building Contractor, said some time ago a child fell into the gutter and developed rashes all over the body.

Mr Gyezard Sam, Production Manager of Kinapharma, told the GNA that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was aware and knew that the effluent was not poisonous. Mrs Florence Adjei, Deputy Director of EPA, said Kinapharma had not submitted their effluent for testing to see if it could be harmful to human health. She said EPA would investigate to ascertain the truth in the residents' complaints. An aspiring assemblyman for Greenland Electoral Area, Mr Isaac Tetteh said the problem was getting out of hand and that he would meet the Management of the Company over it. 15 Sept. 06