"A disgrace: Chinese owned Nixin Recycling Company discharges chemical waste into Ghana’s major Ramsar Site", 13 March 2021

The Muni-Pomadze wetland in the Central Region of Ghana is one of the five internationally-recognized coastal wetlands (Ramsar sites) in Ghana under the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance. [...] However, this rich amphibian and reptile diversity is on the brink, following the discharge of chemical waste by a Chinese owned company called the Nixin Paper Milling Company.

Investigations conducted by ghenvironment.org revealed that, Nixin Paper Milling company has no legal permit or certification for their operation within the Muni-Pomadze wetland and has on several occasions refused to halt production despite warning from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission in the Winneba Municipality. [...]

Community in crisis

The Queen Mother and Elders of the Bewadze community have expressed outrage about the ongoing destruction of the wetland which they described as their major source of livelihood. [...] She revealed that, the entire community is in fear regarding their health as they are forced to inhale the severe stench being emanated from the discharged chemical waste. [...]

Another company in the locality that is also contributing to the destruction of the Ramsar site is Casa de Ropa, a Ghanaian-private limited liability company operating under the one district one factory programme, with a focus on farming, food processing and consultancy.

In the case of the Ghanaian company, it has managed to block the Pratu river which linked to the main wetland by building an unauthorized dam as a form of irrigation for its farming activities and production. The obstruction has therefore led to the drying of the mainstream river and towards the downstream and the area’s natural coastal savannah is gradually turning into bush-yield. [...]