In a recent development, three suspected illegal sand miners, along with a soldier, have been apprehended at Bernganor, a suburb of Lekpongunor in the Ningo-Prampram District of the Greater Accra Region. The arrests were made on the grounds of allegedly engaging in sand mining without a permit.
The police acted on a tip-off regarding the unlawful activity taking place on a land belonging to Seamless International Limited/Comet Properties Limited, leading to the apprehension of the suspects while they were operating at the site. It was reported that the soldier, dressed in military uniform, was enlisted by the illegal sand contractors to provide protection for their activities.
Following their arrest, the suspects were brought before the court at Gbetsile in the Kpone-Katamanso District on charges of causing unlawful damage and mining without a license on Friday, October 4, 2024.
Madam Akua Afriyie, spokesperson for Seamless International Limited/Comet Properties Limited, expressed deep concern over the environmental devastation caused by the illegal sand mining. She emphasized that the destructive activities posed a significant threat to their beachfront and residential projects. Madam Afriyie disclosed that the excavation carried out by the sand miners had reached depths of 10 to 20 feet across 21 acres of land, estimating the cost of reclaiming the damaged land to be around GH₵55 million.
Furthermore, she highlighted the potential for severe erosion and long-term environmental degradation, which could jeopardize the 400-acre development project and other initiatives along the seafront. Madam Afriyie urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to intervene and put an end to such illegal sand-winning activities in order to prevent further destruction.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the pressing need for stringent enforcement of regulations governing natural resource extraction to safeguard the environment and sustainable development initiatives. It is imperative for relevant authorities to take decisive action to curb illicit activities that undermine environmental conservation efforts and threaten valuable projects.
Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story as we continue to monitor the situation closely.
-source GNA | curated by Tetteh Belinda | GhanaCrimes
