Gbawe residents unhappy with operations of quarry
Some residents of Gbawe Gonsee, a neighbourhood in Accra, have expressed reservations about a quarry activity being undertaken by a Chinese company in the area.
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According to the residents, the activity of Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic and Technical Corporation (JIC), the company, is alarming, as it is causing serious health problems.
They complained about the pollution of the air as it normally carries dust particles from the blast site of the quarry, posing a major challenge to breathing and vision.
The secretary to the Osabu, Klotia, Kwadjo and Mensah Kwashie family of Gbewe-Gonsee, Mr Victor Quartey, confirmed this in an interview with the Daily Graphic.
He said the sand and gravel winning activities of the company had destroyed the hitherto beautiful landscape and environment of Gbawe North and Gbawe-Gonsee.
“They have left behind a very dangerous pit which, if nothing is done immediately about, might spell doom for residents and prospective developers,” he stressed.
He said the excavation was not done in the best way, noting that it was difficult to use the land for building or development projects.
Lack of development
Mr Quartey, who also spoke on behalf of the chief and elders in the area, indicated that the situation had caused the deterioration of their roads, adding that it was expected of the company to construct good roads in the area.
He explained that the company usually used excavators and other earth-moving equipment on their roads, which had caused a lot of mess.
“We expected that this Chinese company would construct good roads for the community due to their heavy machines they used on the road, coupled with the numerous benefits they acquired from their operation, but we never saw anything; and we the residents are really disappointed,” he added.
The secretary stated that the community also lacked potable water, a market and a public school, and as a result, expected the Chinese company to do their best to provide any of these.
He, therefore, called on the government and other stakeholders to quickly come to their aid and ensure that the company rectified the mess it had caused in the community before leaving the shores of the country.
Project manager of company
In response, the Project Manager of the company, Ms Xuan Shuai, said she was disappointed at the actions of the residents.
According to her, a lot of demands had been made by the chiefs of Sowutuom, Ablekuma and Gbawe-Gonsee, including monetary demands, which she had taken care of.
“I have been providing a lot of gravels and sand from the same site they are complaining about to help their chiefs in building their palace,” she said.
Ms Shuai stated that there was no agreement between her company and the chiefs in those areas to construct roads for them, noting that she was not under any obligation to do so.
Payment of revenues
Additionally, the project manager indicated that the company had paid all the rates required of it to the Minerals Commission and the Ministry of Environment Science and Technology, hence the claims of the residents were unfortunate.
She emphasised that the Minerals Commission always directed her company on how to perform its activity, and could not have done so poorly as the secretary asserted.
“I’m not in Ghana to harm its citizens through my work but to seek their good. In fact I’ve performed a lot of social responsibility for the communities,” she said.
Ms Shuai said she had provided schoolchildren in the area with schoolbags, exercise books, pens and a host of other materials, adding, “upon all these, I don’t know what the people need from me.”
She, however, said her company could only construct roads for the community when it had the means to do so.
