By Desmond Cudjoe
The Minerals Commission in collaboration with the Shama District Security Council has retrieved quantities of ammonium nitrate and other explosives hidden in the bush near Anto-Abosso in the Shama District of the Western Region.
Investigations are underway to trace the source as efforts are ongoing to transport them to an approved facility in line with safety standards. This follows a tip off to The District Security Council. A security team and officials from the Minerals Commission went to the said place and discovered large quantities of ammonium nitrate and other substances hidden in the bush.
They have since been transported to a safe facility while investigations continue.
The Shama District Chief Executive, Mr Ebenezer Dadzie said there is fear amongst people in communities closer to the quarries following last week’s explosion, thus, the need to work with all to ensure that such an incident does not recur. An Assistant Manager at the Western Region office of MINCOM, Mr Francis Annobil Junior said only companies with requisite permits, facilities and qualified personnel can keep and use explosives.
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Environment has visited the scene of the explosion and also engaged with various institutions.
The Shama District has eight quarries where explosives are used to blast the rocks into various sizes for construction purposes.
However, due to the danger associated with the use of explosives, the Minerals Commission, MINCOM has strict guidelines which are backed by law on the transportation, storage and use of explosives.
On Saturday, September 9, 2023 lives were lost and property destroyed when an explosion occurred on the site STA ADDAMS Enterprise at Kobina-Andohkrom from what initial investigation described aas improper handling of explosives. Regulators and the security agencies were therefore put on a high alert. It is barely a week after the incident that they had information that large quantities of ammonium nitrate and other substances which can trigger explosions are hidden in the bush.