Fear of Environmental Disaster as Illegal Sand Mining Persists Along Keta Coastline
- Illegal sand mining along Keta’s Coastline continues at night despite a municipal ban on the practice instituted by the Assembly
- Communities like Nukpesekope and Dzelukope fear disaster as mining edges closer to the sea leaving them exposed to environmental calamity
- Officials say a crackdown is planned but alternatives are needed to end the practice warning that stop-gap fixes will not be sustainable
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Illegal sand mining along the coastlines of Keta Municipality remains a growing concern, as individuals continue the activity under cover of darkness despite a ban imposed by the Assembly.
Nukpesekope and Dzelukope are some of the coastal communities where the illegal activity has been recorded, leaving residents worried.
Source: Getty Images
Many fear they may suffer the same fate as residents of Agavedzi and Salakope in the Ketu South Municipality.
Wisdom Agbeko Klu, Assembly Member for Vui Electoral Area where Nukpesekope is located, disclosed in an interview with YEN.com.gh that the activity has become increasingly clandestine.
“Yes, it’s happening. They’ve been doing it [sand mining] at night. And they’re doing this about 15 metres from the bank of the sea,” he lamented.
He added, “We already announced that no one should harvest sand in the area, so what is happening now is beyond my notice, the committee’s, and the chiefs’. I have no idea who the people are, and no arrests have been made so far.”
Klu further indicated that, although no suspects have been arrested, efforts are underway.
“I heard the MCE has reported the matter to the police, and soon there would be a raid in the area to arrest those responsible. Because he [the MCE] also warned against the activity during his tour of the coastal towns,” he stated.
MCE responds to ongoing sand mining
Wisdom Seade, the Keta Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), acknowledged the longstanding problem of sand mining along the coast.
He noted that, while a ban is in place, perpetrators of the sand mining menace have shifted operations to nighttime hours.
“The il further disclosed that watchdog groups and task forces have been set up to patrol the beaches. placed a ban on it, some people resorted to doing it at night,” Seade told YEN.com.gh.
He explained the challenges faced in enforcing the ban, particularly the risks involved in confronting offenders after dark.
“We have banned it, so it’s only a few people who are doing it at night. And to go there at night to confront these people, you must be prepared. People watch the beaches during the day, so no one misbehaves, but around 1 a.m., that’s when they go and fetch the sand,” he said.
The MCE further disclosed that watchdog groups and taskforces have been set up to patrol the beaches.
However, he emphasised that lasting solutions lie in providing affordable alternatives for sand supply.
“You can’t stop this without providing an alternative,” he emphasised, adding that plans are underway to supply sand from Sogakope to the municipality.
“When we provide the alternative, that’s when the taskforce and police will act. And when a few people are caught, tried, prosecuted, and jailed, that will send a strong signal and help stop the midnight sand mining activities,” Seade said.
Source: UGC
Tidal waves threaten Volta beach economy
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that Tidal waves wrecked key coastal resorts, heritage sites, and roads in Ghana’s Volta Region, crippling the local tourism economy.
Angry over stalled sea defence projects, residents blocked major highways to draw urgent attention to the tourism collapse.
Local tourism advocates warned that without urgent intervention, the region would lose its status as one of Ghana’s top travel destinations.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
