By Nicholas Osei Wusu
Rocks exploited by quarries as granite are part of the natural resource’s endowment of the country, just like gold, bauxite, and diamond. To this end, District Assemblies, quarry operators and catchment communities where the granite is being mined, are being encouraged to appreciate each other’s relevance for their mutual benefits and cooperation. The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources in charge of Mining, George Mireku Duker, made the point during a tour of some granite endowed and mining districts in Ashanti region.
The Ashanti region is blessed with not only gold, bauxite and iron deposits in large quantities, but also a vast endowment of rocks or granite. Incidentally, the availability of this resource has become the source of conflict in the beneficiary communities, with the local communities on one hand, and the District Assemblies and quarry operators on the other. While the Assemblies insist on their reserved authority to grant permits to quarry operators to mine the rocks for the good of the people, the Chiefs and people also think their farm lands and their very existence is being threatened by the quarries. It is in pursuit of a lasting solution to these problems that the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources in charge of Mining, George Mireku Duker, accompanied by some technical staff at the Ministry and the Minerals Commission toured some of the Districts and Municipalities to ascertain for himself the reality and enormity of the conflict to allow for informed measures to stem the tide.
At the Afigya Kwabre South District, Mireku Duker visited three of the major quarrying sites. These are the BROSA Quarry at Kodie, the District capital, Edu Two at Afrancho-Kr)b) and KAS Quarry at Buoho all in the Afigya Kwabre South District. The Deputy Minister and his Technical Team toured the sites and interacted with the operators to make objective observations.
GBC News also observed serious encroachment around almost all the mining concessions with both completed and new permanent structures for both residential and church purposes. It was again noted that some of the structures are at the immediate base of the rocks meant for mining while some of them were right on the summit of the rocks already being mined from other angles. At Afrancho-Krobor, the situation appeared quite a danger.
Massive encroachment on the water body in the community is visible, with a kraal built for cattle.
At a Meeting with the Quarry Operators and the Afigya Kwabre South District Assembly. Chairman of the Northern Sector Quarry Association, Adu Tutu Gyamfi. expressed worry that despite several complaints with the Assembly, the problem of encroachment and attacks on the companies continue.
The District Chief Executive, Mr. Christian Adu Poku, emphasized that granite remains one of the major natural resource endowments of the administration.
”The Assembly is tapping into it for the area’s socio-economic development with the establishment of a Quarry Development Fund that has so far generated about GHC3 million”. The Deputy Minister and his entourage visited the concession of the A. Kaning Quarry at Sarfo in the Kwabre East Municipality where they were met by a group of agitated property developers wearing red bands.
It was observed again that many new permanent structures right within the concession were at various stages of construction. While still interacting with managers of the Quarry, an aged woman emerged from her crop farm deep within the concession suggesting that the area had for years served as the source of livelihood.
The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, observed that rocks are part of the natural resource endowment, and must be mined for the construction industry. He however charged the concerned District Assemblies to investigate the issues of concern of all interested parties, insisting that buildings without permits have to be pulled down without compensation.
