By: Michael Kofi Kenetey
The President of the Sea Freight Pineapple Exporters of Ghana, Solomon Benjamin has called for government’s immediate intervention to put a stop to the activities of illegal sand winners across the country.
He complained that the survival and existence of the industry is at stake, with farmers struggling to maintain production amidst the destruction of their farmlands by illegal sand winners and called for the government to intervene to curtail the situation.
Mr. Benjamin, during an interview with the media at Kofi Kwei near Nsawam in the Eastern Region, hinted that farmlands and plantations in the Eastern, Greater Accra, and Central Regions are being razed to the ground, leaving nothing but sand and destruction in their wake. He reiterated that the association has petitioned various ministries and agencies but have proved futile and has appealed to the government to take immediate action to halt this destruction by the illegal sand winners.
The latest victim of this destruction by the activities of the illegal sand winners is Bomarts Farms Ltd, which has seen its 155-acre agro-forestry plantation been destroyed at Kofi Kwei near Nsawam, despite numerous reports to several police stations, the situation remains persistent.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Company, Mr. Anthony Botchway, says the company’s 15-year investment, worth millions of Ghana Cedis, is going down the drain due to the activities of the illegal sand winners, threatening the livelihoods of the 1,600 workers of the company and compromising its export capabilities. Mr. Botchway stated that the devastation of farmlands is widespread, with the Eastern, Greater Accra, and Central Regions bearing the brunt of this environmental degradation.
