ADEISO SAND WINING




VT
proliferation of illegal sand winners have begun to punctuate the rural landscape of maame dede junction in the upper west akim district of the eastern region.

daniel lartey has been asking the various stakeholders why they keep engaging in an activity that endangers their environment.

wait for cue


V/O

with unemployment rife, many in west akim have resorted to a new way to make a living.

land owners give out their lands to sand winners to make enough money to feed their families.

the sand is sold to the construction industry.
           
moro amidu and yaw gyabaah,  truck drivers, can prove the connection between acquisition of license from the district assembly and the mines department.

sot……

the practice however leaves behind safety and environmental pitfalls.

aside the deep craters that collect rain water which turn into breeding grounds for mosquitoes, there is the severe impact on vegetative cover of the area which has become depleted.

roads have become inaccessible and farm lands have been destroyed in the process.

and for residents at adukrom, who preferred not to be named, they are convinced this is equally hazardous to their health.

sot…….

poverty and unemployment are the major contributors to the sand winning canker, yet communities whose lands are degraded do not benefit from
the project.

they look on as the resource is conveyed to the cities for most construction works whereas access to basic social amenities in their community remain a challenge.

several coconut trees whose fruit could serve as a thriving business for the young men in the village are destroyed.

with the extent of damage to the top soil  and vegetation at adukrom, the news team quickly alerted the district chief executive of the area who upon arrival ordered an immediate halt to these activities.

snd up.          

sot       …ohene assifo, dce, upper west akim district

this however did not stop the sand winners from moving a kilometer ahead to start another havoc.

with two pay-loaders, they wreckked farmlands and the vegetative greenery.

snd up

Samuel oddoi chawey, is one of the contractors; he insists that sand winning remains the only way for them to feed their families.

sot      

reclaiming the land is however not an option to these contractors.

a police patrol team which refused to speak on camera said they were there to protect the sand winners from robbers and physical attacks, but add that they have been unsuccessful in deterring the illegal miners.

it is apparent authorities also have no clear plan for sand extraction in the area.

a course of action is needed after years of efforts by the community to reduce the crushing poverty caused by illegal sand mining.

end.

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