EPA gives Empire Cement 30 days to present relocation plan for Densu Delta plant

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has given Empire Cement Ghana Limited a 30-day deadline to present a relocation plan for its cement grinding and bagging plant located near the Densu Delta Ramsar Site. The Authority issued the directive on October 28, 2026, citing that the closure notice served on the company on September 14, 2026 is still in effect.

Empire Cement has been told to submit a detailed relocation strategy, including the identification of possible industrial sites, timelines, transition arrangements, and measures to protect workers. The EPA's concerns over the site date back to June 2020, when it first instructed the company to halt construction and find a more suitable location due to potential risks to public health, flooding, and heavy traffic from trucks moving through nearby communities.

Despite receiving an Environmental Permit in October 2023, Empire Cement has failed to address the EPA's concerns about health, flooding, and heavy-truck traffic. Residents' associations in the Weija-Gbawe area have also petitioned the President and the Minister for Environment, Science and Technology to enforce the EPA's directives.

The EPA has warned that resuming operations without authorization while the Closure Notice remains active could result in penalties under Act 1124.