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Gomoa East DCE Chases Illegal Sand Winners…To Pave Way For Planting For Food And Jobs Policy

By Benedict Kweku Nkrumah
Regional News Gomoa East DCE Chases Illegal Sand WinnersTo Pave Way For Planting For Food And Jobs Policy
MAY 25, 2017 LISTEN

A security taskforce led by Gomoa East District Chief Executive in the Central Region, Hon. Benjamin Kojo Otoo on Wednesday descended heavily on illegal Sand Winners arresting three people at site.

The taskforce Strom various places where the illegal Sand Winners were degrading the land meant for agriculture and its related businesses.

The DCE was accompanied by the Àgona Swedru Divisional Command of Bureau of National Investigation (BNI), the Presiding Member of the Assembly, Hon. Fred Arthur, the Gomoa East Coordinating Director, Mr. Emmanuel Baise, journalist from various Media Houses and some traditional rulers.

Three persons (name withheld) were caught at site and have been placed at Police Custody to assist the police to trace the brains behind those illegal activities.

The Team visited Gomoa Okyereko, Gomoa Dominase, Gomoa Buduatta, and other places where the illegal Sand Winners were operating.

In an interview with newsmen, Hon. Benjamin Kojo Otoo disclosed that the Assembly has registered over 2,000 farmers to take part in the Planting For Food and Jobs policy in the district and would not countenance such illegal activities to hinder the policy which would alleviate poverty thus improving the lives of the people.

" It is an eyesore to see the way and manner lands meant for farming and Agricultural related businesses in Gomoa East District are being degraded. This development is a threat to the lives of the people and we have take the necessary steps to protect the land.

The most annoying aspect is that none of these illegal Sand Winners have Permission from the Assembly for their operations let alone regulate their activities.

Another headache is that they have refused to reclaim the land so that it could be used for other agricultural purposes. This has contributed heavily to youth migrating to Rural and Urban centers to seek for nonexesiting jobs.

This Sand Winning activities has rendered our people jobless because farmlands and farms have been destroyed"

The DCE disclosed that the Assembly has taken delivery of over 7,000 bags of fertilizers to be supplied to farmers in the district in line with the agricultural policies of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo led NPP government.

Hon. Benjamin Kojo Otoo however noted that the Assembly want to register all Sand Winners and to regulate their activities to avoid land degradation and deforestation.

" Gomoa East has vast stretched of land to accommodate all kinds of businesses. We are ready for Planting For Food and Jobs, One District One Factory policies and other interventions aimed at improving the livelihood of the citizenry.

Plans are far advanced for us to organize durbar of chiefs and people in every community to educate the chiefs and people and to stress the need for them to protect their land against its destruction. Chiefs should also ensure that every land they sell to these Sand Winners are well documented for reclaiming"

Nana Osuan Asare VI, Chief of Gomoa Abonyi commended the DCE and his team for the bold decision in the fight against illegal Sand Mining activities adding that Nananom would support the Assembly to flash them out from the district.

Mr. Emmanuel Baise on his part stated the district had registered the highest number of farmers in the Central Region for the Planting For Food and Jobs policy and other agricultural related businesses to create jobs for its teeming unemployed youth.

He noted that the Assembly would continue to chase the illegal sand mining activities till proper things were done for the people to use their land for cultivation of food and cash crops.

The Presiding Member of the Assembly, Mr. Fred Arthur encouraged Assembly Members to join the crusade to ensure that better footprints were left for the next generations.

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