By Nelson Ayivor
Sogakope (VR), Dec. 21, GNA – Some residents of Tefle-Motoway a community near Sogakope in the South Tongu district of the Volta region, have appealed to the Assembly to intervene to stop sand mining along the Volta River at Tefle.
The residents, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency during a visit to the area described the situation as alarming as the practice was widespread.
The residents expressed the fear of getting displaced by floods should the trend continue.
The GNA’s visit revealed that some heavy-duty tipper trucks were loading sand, dredged out from the river, but not gathered on the riverbank.
One of the anonymous residents was sure the sand was sold to real estate developers in Accra, Tema, and other areas.
“One wonders why the whole South Tongu district assembly is not able to stop these people.
The residents alleged that more than 25 truckloads of sand were tipped away daily.
One elder of the area, Zipuitor Dzobo Amesawu whose house is just close to the Riverbank described the situation as an ‘eye sore’.
He said the community was aware of some of their own natives, who were engaged in the activity albeit on a small scale just to make ends meet.
“We are not against our own people, indigenes of Tefle who have since time immemorial been doing this to earn a living- we are against the ‘big commercial entities’ engaged in this illegality- today you are not lucky, you met only a few trucks, if you see the number of tipper trucks that come in and move out of here every day and the quantum of sand collected from here, my brother you will not believe it.
Zikpuitor Dzobo revealed that sometime in the past, when the river overflowed its banks causing near flooding of the area, it took the late former President Jerry John Rawlings, whose house is situated near the river to call in the VRA to intervene.
Zikpuitor Dzobo said the VRA had to run in to dredge the entire stretch of the river around Tefle-motorway and then use the sand collected to refill the riverbank.
He alleged that those engaged in the activities were collecting sand from that land fill with impunity and served warning that should the authorities continue to gloss over the activities and allow them to continue they may have to resist with all their might.
Meanwhile, GNA’s effort to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of the claims by the residents to the South Tongu District Assembly, has been fruitless as officials were tight-lipped.
GNA