By Nelson Ayivor
Sogakope (VR), Dec. 7, GNA-Residents of Agbeve, a village sandwiched between the South Tongu and Ada East districts in the Volta and Greater Accra regions respectively haave expressed concern over the destruction of the marine ecosystem.
The residents claimed the river was their only source of livelihood and the operations of Lower Volta Dredging Company, a Ghanaian dredging entity contracted by the Volta River Authority (VRA) to carry out dredging activities in the lower Volta basin was not in their interest.
The residents, who poured out their frustrations to the Ghana News Agency during a visit to the community said they are unable to understand why an activity of such magnitude would be embarked upon without any community engagement or consultation with the community dwellers.
“We don’t believe in this dredging claim or whatever these people may be prospecting for some mineral deposits under our water and hiding behind dredging for all you know,” a resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity alleged.
“In fact, just within 24 hours of this dredging activity, the river, our source of drinking water has been muddied with dirt- you can see the colour of the water for yourself- who knows these people might even be pouring some chemicals in the river which could end up destroying the marine ecosystem of the area,” another resident angrily alleged.
The community, which the residents, mostly subsistence farmers and Oyster harvesters, say have not seen any meaningful development over the years partly due to its geographical location and other political factors, has braced the odds to initiate self-help projects like construction of classroom units for the community basic school, an ultra-modern kindergarten unit with ancillary facilities.
Again, a water treatment plant, (currently dormant due to the severe pollution of the water) a modern place of convenience has been built with the people determined to do more for themselves.
The residents are therefore calling on the government to come clean on the issue and immediately halt the operations of the Company carrying out the dredging and impress upon the Volta River Authority to do the needful in the interest of peace.
The residents warned that should the government fail to heed their call; they would be left with no option than to take matters into their own hands by resisting any further attempts by the dredging company to continue with its operations in that enclave.
Meanwhile the District Chief Executive for Ada East Ms. Sarah Dugbakie Pobee has appealed to the aggrieved residents to exercise restraint as her outfit and the District Security Council (DISEC) were working feverishly to resolve the impasse.
She said the benefits of dredging the river far outweighed the disadvantages.
“This is a government project geared towards our own good and so let’s be calm and dialogue to resolve any issues instead of the back and forth which would only drag us backwards as a people”.
The DCE assured the aggrieved residents of the government’s commitment to ensuring that the community got its share of developmental projects going forward.
A source close to the VRA told the GNA that the dredging was necessary to allow for the easy flow of the river into the sea, which was being hampered due to the huge deposits of sand and weeds that had overgrown on the riverbed.
According to the source, the river had not been dredged for over 20 years now, which was a major cause of the recent tidal waves and destruction of property and displacement of the people living along the river.
It is feared that not dredging the river could lead to an outbreak of water borne diseases like bilharzia which posed a public health threat to the country.
GNA