Sand, gravel winning threaten Kpone-Katamanso District
The Kpone–Katamanso District Assembly is set to fight yet another form of galamsey which is fast gaining grounds and destroying large tracts of land in the area .
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This other form of galamsey, which involves sand and gravel winning has destroyed large acres of farmlands in the area denying the farmers of their livelihoods.
Some of the most affected areas in the newly created Kpone–Katamanso District are Gbetsile and Appolonia.
Large tracts of lands and farms destroyed
Large tracts of land in these communities including already cultivated farms have been destroyed by illegal sand contractors who have moved heavy equipment to the communities to win sand and gravel on daily basis.
Most of the lands and the already cultivated farms have been destroyed and turned into deserts.
The illegal sand and gravel winners and land guards threaten farmers and prevent them from going to the farm by either firing at them or chasing them out of the farms.
Owing to the alarming nature of the situation, the chiefs and residents of the two communities wrote officially to the Kpone –Katamanso District Assembly to assist with security to stop activities of those illegal sand winners and land guards .
It was realised during a visit to the area that the sand winning contractors were ‘big time’ contractors who supplied sand to estate development companies and individual developers.
Residents of Gbetsile and Appolonia have, therefore, appealed to the assembly to strictly enforce the bye-laws which prohibit illegal sand and gravel winning to protect farmlands from being destroyed.
The residents, who are predominantly peasant farmers, have lost vast farmlands as a result of the activities of the sand winners.
They cultivate okro, pepper, garden eggs, other vegetables, cassava and corn among others.
Land guards protect sand gravel winners
The residents claimed that land guards protect the sand winners while they chased the farmers or intruders who attempted to stop them from operating.
Information gathered indicated that the trucks belong to ‘big time’ contractors who fund the operations .
The Kpone–Katamanso District Chief Executive, Alhaji Antieye Tetteh, expressed concern about the activities of the sand contractors noting that the assembly would take steps to stop them from operating in the area.
He told the Daily Graphic that his visit to the area confirmed the concerns of the people noting that he had to go with security personnel from the police because of the threat from the land guards.
Alhaji Tetteh said the police and the assembly’s task force had been scheduled to patrol the area to stop the operators and that ’the environment must be protected as the activities of these sand winners were no different from those who engaged in galamsey.’
He said dug up areas which had been abandoned got filled with water from nearby rivers and rains which posed danger to farmers and residents of nearby communities.
Alhaji Tetteh said some way bills seized from the sand winners, many of whom escaped arrest, bore the inscription ‘ Miners Department –Industrial Minerals waybill ; Appolonia Stool Council ; and Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development winning tickets .
Some illegal receipts were also seized from the illegal operators.
He appealed to the chiefs in the area to collaborate with the assembly to resolve all issues pertaining to illegal sand winning in the area.
By Rose Hayford Darko/Daily Graphic/Ghana