Ghana: How the theft of a small engine part is fueling pollution, crime, and a deadly health crisis

When Isaac Peprah bought his car, a Honda Accord, he thought he had finally escaped the long tro-tro commutes between East Legon and Spintex that had taken hours from his day. 

But barely a week after he bought it, a group of young men from a makeshift mechanic shop flagged him down near a junction close to his house. 

The men claimed they had heard a “strange sound” from under his car – something dangerous that needed immediate attention. “They sounded very confident, so I honestly thought they were trying to help,” he recalled.

Within minutes, they had the hood lifted, tools clinking as they assured him they were only tightening a loose part. Two days later, the truth became clear: the car’s engine roared louder than usual, fumes seeped into the cabin, and the fuel gauge dropped fast. Isaac had become the latest Ghanaian to fall victim to catalytic converter theft.

Source: www.myjoyonline.com

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