Correspondence from Central Region

Moree community in the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese (AAK) District will soon experience a series of tidal waves as residents, especially women, have begun extensive illegal scoop of sand from the seashores.

The human activity had ripped off almost all the sand at the beachfront that protects the sea from entering the land and that could increase environmental injustice on marine resources.

Commercializing the activity, women within the community have made the unregulated act their alternative livelihood claiming there were no other jobs for their survival.

These women visit the shores with their teen children on a regular basis, gather huge quantities of the sand and sell them to contractors among others for different purposes.

The children between the ages of three to ten have stopped schooling to join their mothers in the sand-wining business for money.

Also, the seashores had turned into a block factory as some were seen in the production of blocks.

Investigations revealed that a pan of sand was sold at GHC 3 to 4 and perpetrators make about GHC100 sales a day.

Some fisher folks in an interview expressed disappointment in authorities for their inability to stop the menace. They noted that failure to stop the menace would increase the rate of shoreline erosion which affect the ecology, economy and climate change.

The phenomenon has exposed homes and facilities to tidal waves and that reinforces the need to enforce existing laws and measures to address the canker.
Recently, about 30 residents of the community were rendered homeless due to ocean wave destruction and the act was a major contributor.

Ghanaweb observed at the shores that the perpetrators were aware of the illegality of their activity, as they took to their heels upon seeing the reporter at the shores.

Ante Mansa who spoke to the reporter pleaded with the government to provide employment for residents along the coastline to enable them to end the illegal act of winning sand at the shores.

She said though the activity was illegal, there was no alternative livelihood for them. Bemoaning the activity, Kwame Damoah, the Central Regional Director of the Fisheries Commission said his outfit would engage stakeholders to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators to halt the menace.

He noted that the activity would soon affect the livelihood they were protecting adding that the fisheries sector continually faces huge threats due to such illegal activities of the citizenry.

"I must say this is uncalled for, it’s very unfortunate. Just few days ago we experienced the destructive nature of the tidal wave at Moree and now this

"The same people taking the sand out from the sea will come out to complain the sea is sweeping their land and houses", he lamented.

He cautioned residents to desist from the act adding that it was unlawful to engage in sand-winning.