Deputy Lands Minister halts illegal stone quarry within earthquake zones
Mr George Mireku Duker, a Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, has halted all illegal stone quarry activities at Oblogo in the Weija-Gbawe Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.
He has, therefore, issued a directive to the Assembly to immediately demolish all those illegal structures.
The Deputy Minister gave the directive during a working visit to the area on Wednesday.
“It is imperative for the Ministry to take decisive, pragmatic and proactive steps to avert “a reoccurrence of Appiatse disaster,” Mr Duker said.
“It is on record that the Ministry or the Minerals Commission has not processed any application or granted any mineral licence for quarry operations in this area.”
The area had been identified as an earthquake-prone zone and, therefore, certain activities should not take place there including stone quarry and sand winning, Mr Duker stated.
“Available data from the Ghana Geological Survey Authority suggests that such human activities could trigger landslide or mudslide and cause damage to lives and property.”
He ordered the arrest of three artisans who were busily erecting a structure at the place and handed over to the police.
In a meeting with the Geological Survey Authority, earlier this year, it warned that the country could experience another disaster if drastic measures were not taken to stop encroachment in earthquake zones.
Source: GNA