EPA to extend ratings exercise to more institutions
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to extend its environmental rating programme, Akoben, to hospitals and the hospitality industry.
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The move will ensure that the country’s environmental disclosure and rating system cover all sectors whose operations impact on the environment.
The Executive Director of the agency, Mr Daniel Amlalo, made the announcement when a delegation from India’s State of Odisha Pollution Control Board and the World Bank visited the agency to share ideas of mutual concern and also learn more about Ghana’s Akoben system which the Indian state intends to adopt.
The five-day meeting was facilitated by the World Bank and the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI).
What is Akoben?
Under the Akoben initiative, the environmental performance of mining and manufacturing operations is assessed using a five-colour rating scheme.
The colours are gold
, green, blue, orange and red, indicating environmental performance ranging from excellent to poor.
It is based on the companies’ day-to-day operations once they have successfully cleared their Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and obtained their environmental permit to operate.
Since the beginning of the Akoben programme in 2008, the EPA has conducted hundreds of site audits and verification visits.
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It has also built one of the most advanced environmental databases and computerised rating systems to ensure accuracy, consistence and timeliness of rating analysis.
These ratings are annually disclosed to strengthen public awareness of environmental activities in their respective communities.
Mr Amlalo said the EPA was willing to share its Akoben experiences with its Odisha counterparts in the spirit of South-South cooperation and was also interested in learning from the Odisha State.
Challenges
He mentioned some of the major challenges facing the EPA as inadequate staff and information technology infrastructure.
He said the agency was in talks with the National Accreditation Board (NAB) to convert the EPA training school, the Institute of Environmental Studies, into a degree-awarding institution.
Additionally, he said the agency was discussing the establishment of an environmental court with the Judicial Service to ensure that persons who violated the country’s environmental laws were dealt with.
Learning from the EPA
The Development Commissioner of the Planning and Coordinating Department of the Odisha State, Mr Upendra Nath Behera, noted that the adoption of the Akoben rating system would enhance his mineral-rich country’s environmental regulation system.
A World Bank environmental specialist, Ms Dora Cudjoe, observed that the platform would allow the two institutions to learn from each other to promote environmental sustainability in their respective countries.
While in Ghana, the delegation is expected to pay a courtesy call on the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, visit the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO), the Tema Steel Company, the thermal power plant and also interact with civil society organisations.