Diamond Cement, Ghana Rubber score green in EPA rating

Only two out of 100 manufacturing companies scored a Green (Very Good) rating in the 2012 ‘Akoben’ trend analysis done by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for 2012.
The two — Diamond Cement Limited, Aflao and Ghana Rubber Estate Limited (GREL), Takoradi — were presented with certificates at the public disclosure in Accra last week Friday.

Seven companies obtained Blue (Good) grading.

They were Akosombo Textiles Limited, Cargill Ghana Limited, Dupaul Wood Treatment, Ghacem Limited, Irani Brothers and Others Limited, PHYTO-RIKER Pharmaceuticals Limited and Printex Limited.

Results for 100 companies

Presenting the results of the EPA’s trend analysis for 100 companies in Accra last Friday, the Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Mr Daniel S. Amlalo, said 30 per cent of the companies attained Orange (Satisfactory) grading, 61 per cent Red (Poor), seven per cent Blue (Good), with only two per cent getting Green (Very Good).

None of the companies had the ultimate Gold (Excellent) overall grading.

He said the number of companies that attained Red this year was an increase over the previous year’s number,  although the number of companies that had Orange increased in the first three years of the ‘Akoben’, it reduced in the 2012 ratings.

Companies that attained Blue had, however, increased in number since 2009, whereas for Green the number had been consistent over the period, with the exception of 2011.

Graphic makes orange

The Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) and its subsidiary company, G-Pak Limited, together with 28 others, attained Orange rating in the ‘Akoben’ trend analysis.

Although both companies were participating in the programme for the first time since it began in 2009, they achieved good grading in almost all seven areas reviewed and were only let down in the “Non-Toxic Releases” and “Monitoring and Reporting” categories which eventually formed the basis for their final rating.

Incidentally, both the GCGL and G-Pak had Gold grading in “Corporate Social Responsibility”, Green in “Community Complaints” and Blue in “Legal Issues”, “Hazardous Waste Management” and “Environmental Best Practices”.

An Orange rating was obtained in “Non-Toxic Releases” and “Monitoring and Reporting”.

Orange rating

The 28 companies that had the Orange grading were Accra Brewery Limited, ADM Cocoa Ghana Limited, Ameen Sangari Limited, Bamson Company Limited, Barry Callebaut Ghana Limited, BBC Industrials Company Limited, Benso Oil Palm Plantation Limited, Blue Sky Products Ghana Limited, Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Accra and Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Kumasi.

Others were DANADAMS Pharmaceuticals, Fan Milk Limited, Ghacem Limited, Takoradi, Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited, Achimota Plant, Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited, Kaasi Plant, Kumasi, Kasapreko Company Limited, Nestle Ghana Limited, Nexans Kabel Metal Ghana Limited and Norpalm Ghana Limited.

The rest were Peelco Limited, Pioneer Food Cannery Limited, Plot Enterprise, Takoradi International Company Limited, Tex Styles Ghana Limited, Twifo Oil Palm Plantation Limited, Unilever Ghana Limited, West Africa Mills Company Limited 1 – Takoradi and West Africa Mills Company Limited 2 – Takoradi.

Big companies make Red

Notable companies that made the Red were Cadbury Ghana Limited, Cocoa Processing Company Limited, Crocodile Matchets Ghana Limited, Ernest Chemists Limited, Tema, Aluworks Limited, Ashanti Foam Factory Limited,  Accra and Kumasi, Baron Distilleries Limited and Gihoc Distillery Limited.

Others were Kinapharma Limited, Latex Foam Rubber Products Limited, Accra and Kumasi, Tema Oil Refinery Limited, PZ Cussons Industries Ghana Limited, Starwin Products Limited, Takoradi Floor Mills, the Takoradi Thermal Power Plant, Tema Lube Oil Company Limited, Tema Steel Company Limited, Super Paper Products Limited and VRA Thermal Power 1 Station, Tema.

According to Mr Amlalo, companies that had consistently had Red over the four-year period would be ‘gently’ invited and steps taken to ensure that the right things were done.

“If you score Red a number of times, it reflects on us. We would not want you to score Red; we will help you move up,” he said.

Companies in that category are Tema Oil Refinery Limited, Accra Abattoir Company Limited, Kumasi Abattoir Limited and Crocodile Matchets Ghana Limited.

Responding to a concern that the Red rating of manufacturing companies could make them lose customers, Mr Lambert Faabeluon, the Director of the Manufacturing Industry Department of the EPA, urged companies that attained that grade to be committed to improving their lot, otherwise there would not be any incentives to others that were doing well.

By Edmund Smith Asante/Daily Graphic/Ghanaa
Writer’s email: [email protected]