Takoradi, May 31, GNA – The Union of Concern Nzema Management Scientists (UCNMS) in Zurich have added their voice to the concerns raised by the Nzema Youth League regarding pollution from natural gas power plants within the enclave of the Nzema land.
The Nzema Youth League recently raised stern concern over the increased air pollution in the gas enclave of the Nzema land and called on the Government through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to compel the gas companies operating in the enclave as a matter of urgency to install air monitoring station.
This, they said, was adversely affecting their health as there has been a rise in respiratory and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, asthma, and cardiovascular problems, among others.
However, the UCNMS in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Monday said, “we are solidly endorsing the publication of the air quality station and urge EPA and the Energy Ministry through the Petroleum Commission to compel these plants to install air quality monitoring stations in the Nzema area.”
According to the statement signed by Mr Bright Assuah Jappah, Convener UCNMS in Zurich, installing air quality Monitoring stations would be the only move to clear up the misconceptions around the recent environmental and health setbacks in the Nzema area.
The statement also called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the other companies operating in the area to engage with stakeholders on the matter to bring sanity to the growing despondency and misconceptions on the environment regarding the operations of the various Plants especially the Ghana National Gas Company.
Contrary to the idea that natural gas is “clean,” the group said in a statement that nitrogen oxides which is a pollutant resulting from natural gas plants caused respiratory problems, and reacted with other substances in the air to produce particulate matter and ozone.
“Particulate matter and ozone cause the extensive list of adverse health outcomes you hear around. shortness of breath, heart attacks, premature death; the list goes on. In short, NOx is bad news for human health”, the statement added.
A recent study by the Union of Concerned Nzema Management Scientists found that natural gas plants in Ghana would start and spring up much more frequently in the future.
This, they said would increase natural gas plant start-ups and may increase Nitrogen Oxide emissions.
However, it added that Ghana might continue to achieve its global warming emissions reduction goals and increase air pollution from natural gas power plants at the same time.
The statement, therefore, called on authorities to make plans for a clean energy future that would not lead to even more air pollution in communities already afflicted with pollution.
The UCNMS recently co-sponsored a sensitization that was designed to shed light on pollution from natural gas plants and required better planning for pollution reductions from plants in the Nzema area.
The statement concluded by assuring that the UCNMS would remain committed to finding solutions that would allow transition away from natural gas in a way that was not only economical but also equitable.
GNA