Some quarrying firms at Shai Hills in the Shai Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region have appealed to government to urgently halt the activities of some Chinese nationals, who are allegedly constructing estate houses on lands designated for quarrying.
The about 50 companies, including Cedar Quarry Ghana Limited and Zina Quarry Ghana Limited, made the appeal to the central government and other relevant authorities through the media.
They raised concerns about the danger posed to people and properties if the Chinese firm, Greenhouse International Developers, goes ahead to build structures on the said lands and rent or sell them out to individuals.
BUSINESS GUIDE gathered that putting up residential property within a quarrying environment is supposed to be done about a minimum of 500 metres or maximum 1,000 metres away from the site according to the Minerals Commission’s Standards to avoid ‘flying rocks’ from injuring individuals and destroying properties during blasting.
But according to the quarrying firms, they have done everything possible to make the developers understand the situation and stop their construction activities.
The developers have gone ahead to build a long wall for their operations.
“The developers are constructing buildings close to our quarry concession. The constructions are very close to our current operational area approximately 100 metres and should we move further it would be just 50 metres from our operational area,” the developers said.
In a letter addressed to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), copies of which were made available to the media, they pointed out that “clearly the activities of these developers pose a danger to our operations, as it is impossible to do our blasting activity without causing damage to the buildings or injuring persons in the immediate vicinity of those buildings.”
“We are therefore by this letter requesting that you use your good offices to stop these developers from encroaching on the land designated for quarrying activities in Shai Hills at Shai Osudoku District in the Greater Accra Region,” the letter said.
The EPA, Minerals Commission and Ghana Police Service, according to Alexander Dagadu, Accountant at Cedar Quarry Ghana Limited, after receiving complaints from the respective companies warned the Chinese to halt their operations but they have refused to do so.
He indicated that about two months ago, the Chinese first moved on the land and pointed out that they were only there to offer tanker washing services.
The story changed shortly afterwards and they began putting up structures allegedly for estate operations, he said.
The Chinese denied that they were embarking on an estate project.
One of the Chinese, who gave his name as Andy, who is believed to be charge of operations, could not offer any tangible reasons.
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