Tema, May 11, GNA - A survey conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has shown that people living around the Chemu Lagoon are suffering from diseases caused by environmental filth as a result of the pollution of the lagoon.

Mr Lambert Faabeluon, Senior Programme Officer of the EPA at Tema, who said this on Wednesday, said the survey looked at the disease pattern of the inhabitants of Tema Manhean.

Addressing the Executive and Environmental/Sanitation Committee of the Tema Municipal Assembly, he said a provisional survey showed that most of the inhabitants report at the hospitals with diseases like malaria, typhoid and cholera and these are related to poor hygiene.

The three-day workshop was organised by the Corporate Social Responsibility Movement, a non-governmental organisation based in Tema in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Stifung to enable the participants to discuss the resuscitation of the Chemu Lagoon. Mr Faabeloun called on the government to adopt a holistic approach by implementing some of the recommendations contained in the Acres report. About a year ago, the government requested the EPA to conduct a research into the lagoon. EPA commissioned an international consultant that came out with a report.

Mr Faabeluon said the Chemu Lagoon is mostly polluted with human waste, both solid and liquid termed as ''Municipal Waste'' because almost all the industrial waste are treated and do not have adverse effect on the lagoon.

He said the companies are applying the Environmental Impact Assessment Plan and have installed treatment plants to treat their effluent while others have Cleaner Productions before discharging into the lagoon.