'Toxic' smoke from Chinese factory forces close down of Osudoku SHS

The Headmistress of Osudoku Senior High School (SHS) has asked the students to go home due to the severe pollution by Shine Feel, a toiletries and plastics manufacturing Chinese factory in the area.

The headmistress of the school, Sylvia Baaba Yankey told Accra-based Citi FM that the management of the institution took the decision to send the over 1,200 students home to protect them from the health hazard.

She added that they had no option than to close down the school because the pollution from the company has worsened.

“The students agitated that because of the smoke they could not stay. The boy’s dormitory and the classroom block are close to the factory. Since Tuesday the stench and the smoke which for some time now has subsided erupted again.”

“Ghana Education Service is very much aware of the situation,” she added.

Meanwhile, the Assistant Headmaster of the school has been transferred to Amasaman SHS because of respiratory problems he had while in the school.

The head of the Agricultural Science Department of the School Martin Fianu said “the children have been having respiratory difficulties when they go to the hospital; the doctors accuse them of being smokers. Not only the students, the staff also. One assistant headmaster in charge of administration also suffered same.”

“The Assistant Headmaster had a health issue with his lungs and because of that, it aggravated his breathing mechanism. He underwent a surgery. The health problem worsened because of the factory’s fumes, and because of that, he was transferred to the Amasaman Senior High School. So it is affecting both staff and the students,” he added.