Illegal sand winning on the rise in Cape Coast, Elmina and environs

Cape Coast, April 15, GNA - Illegal sand wining activities along the Cape Coast and Elmina shorelines have risen, increasing the effect of high tidal waves, and posing serious threat to the lives of people living in communities along the affected areas.

The affected communities along the coastal stretch are Amoakofua, Ahiaboboi, Amanful, Victoria Park, Bakaano, Duakor, OLA, Idun, all in the Cape Coast Metropolis, as well as Iture and the Coconut Grove area at Elmina, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) observed.

Some communities in the hinterland such as Ankaful and Birimso have also not been left out as they have also been gravely affected by the illegal activities, leaving huge and dangerous tranches and manholes along the banks and coast of the affected areas.

GNA investigations also revealed that about 20 to 30 trucks of sand are carted both day and night, with majority of the trucks from the Region.

Some truck drivers were arrested last Wednesday evening by a team set up by the Metropolitan Chief Executive for Cape Coast, Ms. Priscilla Arhin, who is bent on stemming the activities of the illegal sand winners, to save the environment from further destruction.

Some of the truck drivers told the GNA that the national task force on sand winning who they claimed are based at Kasoa and Accra, had charged them penalties and given them receipts after their arrest.

. The Mayor of the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly (CCMA), Ms. Arhin, as part of efforts to curb the illegal activity, has collaborated with the Metropolitan Police Command led by Chief Superintendent Winful, to take serious action against the illegal miners.

The Mayor has pledged to give them all the necessary logistics to aid the team in combating the illegal activities, and was considering the possibility of regularizing some concessions to help the Assembly monitor their activities to stem environmental degradation and also bring sanity into the sector..

The GNA observed that some toilets and bathroom complexes, as well as a 24-bedroom block, belonging to the Cape Coast Metropolitan Police Station at Bakaano, has gradually been destroyed by the sea as a result of the high tidal waves.

When contacted on the issue, the Metropolitan Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Samuel Winful said the Police had launched investigations into the alleged collection of money from tipper truck drivers

He noted that one of the concerns of the police was land owners who had given their lands out to some individuals for the act in exchange for money, and that the Police were doing their best to address the issue.

The effect of the illegal activity posed a serious threat to human life, explaining that there had been some occasions where some persons had been trapped in some of the uncovered holes left by the winners, he added.

He stated that two trips of sand seized during the joint operation of the CCMA Task force and other task forces from Accra and Kasoa, had been deposited at the Central regional Police headquarters and the drivers arrested had been given police enquiry bail.

He revealed that some people had now resorted to moulding cement blocks at the sea side and that the blocks had been seized and packed at the Metropolitan Police station possibly to be used to build some of its structures destroyed by the activities.

Chief Superintendent Winful indicated that the command was working together with the CCMA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), so that appropriate places would be marked for sand cutting in order to safeguard human lives and property.

The Coordinating Director of CCMMA, Mr. Bernard Dsane said sand winning was of great concern to the Assembly and it was doing its best by supporting the Police with logistics to streamline the illegal activities.

He said the welfare of the Metropolis should be of paramount importance to all and sundry.

GNA