The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has commissioned a district office in Dzodze in the Ketu North Municipality of the Volta Region.

This is aimed at decentralizing the authority’s operations to intensify protection of the environment across the country to prevent further destruction.

The initiative was facilitated by the Ketu North Member of Parliament, Edem Agbana, hoping to promote operations of the Authority in his jurisdiction.

The Chief Executive Officer of the EPA, Professor Nana Ama Klutse lauded the roles of the Ketu North Municipal Assembly and Mr. Agbana and other stakeholders on setting up the office.

“This is the very first district office we are opening as EPA. And we are happy that it has been set up. We see that you have a sign post ready and the indication of the office also ready”, she said.

She added that the initiative was imperative taking into consideration how the was handicapped the Authority was in delivering its mandated duty effectively across the country.

Prof Klutse entreated stakeholders to support officers who would be posted to the office to combat the rampant sand wining activities, which had caused great havoc in the enclave.

“EPA’s work is to make sure that even those who are winning the sand do it the right way. So, we [EPA] guide them on the activities that they do”, she said.

She further indicated that the EPA was mandated to guide the implementation of a lot of activities, especially those that lead to solid or liquid waste generation to ensure it has less or no impact on the environment.

She said provision of the office has taken the barrier of distance and entreated the citizens to report anything they identify to have a negative impact on the environment to officials of the EPA for redress.

The Member of Parliament for Ketu North, Edem Agbana said the initiative was part of efforts to ensure all government agencies have offices in the municipality to make their services easily accessible to his constituents.

He believes provision of the EPA office would help curb the high incidents of sand winning in the area and ensure operators “comply with the EPA guidelines”.

He added that he would implement an initiative targeted at segregating and recycling waste into products that would be beneficial to the people in the constituency.

“We have procured about 10 receptacles, which will help us separate plastics from the other waste, and those plastic wastes will be recycled and produced other things that we need in our constituency”, he said.

The Ketu North Municipal Chief Executive, Rev Martin Amenaki, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting and sustaining the environment for future, and entreated stakeholders to put their hands to wheel.

“Let this commissioning be a clarion call to action”, he said.