Investigations by Today has revealed that Elmina in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) Municipality of the Central Region has been rated amongst the very high coastal communities in the country where sand winning is rampant.
The paper further discovered that although sand winning is an illegal practice in the country, the act has been going on in the area over a decade, leading to the degradation of several beaches and causing a negative impact on both wild life and tourism.
Today gathered that due to the high demand for sand by some industries and construction businesses, the beach between the Coconut Grove Beach Resort and the Elmina Bay Hotel has been the major site for winning sand over the years in the municipality.
Almost fifteen trucks are loaded with sand every day from the site to construction sites within and outside the community.
The practice is equally having adverse effects on tourism.
This reporter observed that the unlawful act has resulted in the sea level rising and over flowing its bank which causes flooding in the area.
Some residents who spoke to the paper noted that the sea has been flooding the area and destroying houses and coconut trees along the beaches.
Kwaku Amissah, a resident in Elmina Bay Hotel, stated that due to the sand winning, sea defense walls constructed by the owner of the hotel in the area has been washed away by the sea.
Over five meters of land was washed away by the disaster leaving the hotel’s restaurant and the swimming pool in danger.
In an interview with the leader of Sand Winners Association, Nana Jonah, he explained that some assemblies patronise their sand for the construction of their projects, adding that they also contribute to the development of the country and did not see why their activity should be termed as illegal.
He stressed the need for the assembly to provide them with a conducive site to undertake their activity since it is the only source of income to them.
Speaking to the Public Relations officer of the KEEA Municipal Assembly, Mr. Edmund
Houphouet, popularly known as Amandzeba, he said many attempts were made by the Assembly to stop the sand mining activity but their efforts yielded no result.
