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Communities near �the �Atuabo gas processing plant in the Ellembelle District of the Western �Region have expressed �concern about the flaring �of gas at the plant. The residents say they observe the flaring �of gas from the plant �mostly at night. Articulating the concerns of the communities,an environmental safety advocate and the Paramount Chief of �the Western Nzema Traditional Area, Awulae Anor Adjaye III, said �it was important for officials of the �Ghana National Gas Company (Ghana Gas) and the �Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) �to inform the communities on the �processes involved in the production of gas and its consequences. �Awulae Anor Adjaye was speaking �at a �meeting with the Petroleum Commission and the Western Regional House of Chiefs �on oil and gas issues at Busuah. �Officials of the �commission �said the �issues of flaring or venting and the effects were the responsibilities of �the EPA, hence they would not be able to answer related questions. Responding to the concerns of the communities, officials of �the EPA said they had issued �a permit to Ghana Gas to flare gas �during its commissioning stage. Lack of effective sensitisation The EPA said the apprehension of the communities could be attributed to the fact that Ghana Gas was not carrying �out the sustained community engagement, which was part of the requirement. The EPA said it permitted Ghana Gas to flare about 16mmscf or more during its commissioning stage and submit �a report to it at the end of the commissioning period. It said even though EPA was satisfied with what was going on at the plant by way of flaring gas when the need arose, it was important for �the community relations unit of Ghana Gas to educate the people regularly. Unknown duration� �The EPA admitted that flaring and venting were two negative environmental consequences of oil and gas production, and the public was �rightly concerned about the potential environmental effects of such � development. It, however, indicated that there was no time limit to how long it would take for the commissioning process to achieve �full production, and said �Ghana Gas had to ensure effective awareness creation. Environmental implications The environmental implications of flaring or venting include climate change; contaminants acidifying �the soil which would affect agriculture. The �Journal of Environment Pollution and Human Health, 2013 by Science and Education Publishing, a US-based research unit, indicated that gas flaring contributed to climate change, which has serious implications for �the world.