Minerals Commission petitioned over exportation of sand from farmlands to Togo
The Concerned Citizens of Klikor (Traditional Area), Ketu South, have submitted a petition to Ghana’s Minerals Commission, urging them to intervene and halt the unauthorized sand mining in the region, primarily for export to Togo.
The group expressed grave concern over this practice, which has been ongoing for the past four years and has recently escalated in the last two to three weeks, encompassing new communities. These activities have encroached upon vital agricultural lands in areas like Kpoglu, Bodzakope, Dzogbenu, Tsivoli, Akato, Lotakor, Satsimadza-Glidzi Junction, and AME Junction-Sovie.
The Concerned Citizens of Klikor, in their petition with 85 signatures, suspect that influential individuals may be involved in this “nefarious act.” They claim that these entities utilize heavy earth-moving equipment under heavy police protection to extract sand and transport it to Togo, averaging about 500 trips daily.
The group emphasized the necessity of conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in the affected areas, engaging all stakeholders. However, they assert that no EIA has been conducted in these regions. They also highlight the importance of these current operational sites, which could serve as safe havens during disasters such as flooding, which is currently affecting residents of Satsimadza suburbs.
Furthermore, the group accuses these contractors or syndicates of operating with blatant disregard for the environment and the affected communities. They allege that sand is being mined even behind the homes of indigenous people, under the pretext of land ownership. The use of the police to intimidate locals who resist these activities has also been reported.
In their petition to the Minerals Commission, the Concerned Citizens of Klikor seek answers to critical questions regarding the legality of the contractors’ operations, whether they have followed due processes, and whether they possess permits to mine sand for export.
The petition includes the following demands:
1. Immediate cessation of all forms of sand mining on Klikor lands.
2. Directives for contractors to reclaim unattended sand mining sites.
3. Rehabilitation of feeder roads destroyed due to sand mining activities.
4. A halt to the uncontrolled exportation of sand from Klikor to neighboring Togo in the future.
The petition issues a stern warning: “Failure to attend to our questions and demands… within five working days will warrant unannounced action to expose the destruction being perpetrated in our communities and its attendant health, environmental, and security challenges.”
GNA.
