Gomoa Amoanda, (C/R) July 27, GNA - The Omanhen of Gomoa Akyempim Traditional Area, Obirifo Ahunako Ahor Ankobea II, has appealed to the government to place a total ban on sand winning in his area to stop land degradation.

According to him, several attempts by the Traditional Council to stop the practice, that has badly affected the environment in the area, had not yielded any fruitful result.

Obirifo Ankobea made the appeal at a public forum at Gomoa Amoanda to sensitize the people on the dangers of indiscriminate sand winning and the need to ensure environmental protection.

It was organised by Radio Peace, a community radio, based in Winneba, in collaboration with "Kasa" Project, an environmental NGO, which seeks to educate the masses on environmental management.

Sand-winning has been identified as the main challenge facing the people of the area resulting in land degradation.

During the programme, some key evaluation findings in seven communities, in the area on the dangers of sand-winning, the need to establish community watch dog groups and the importance of best practices in sand management were discussed.

Obirifo Ankobea called on his subjects to be on the alert and not to sell their lands indiscriminately to sand-winners to destroy them.

Mr Daniel Kofi Sarpong, an officer from the Central Regional Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA) Cape Coast, called on the present generation to protect their lands for posterity.

The Winneba Area forestry Services Officer, Mr Samuel Manu, advised the public to adhere to the rules and regulations governing chain-saw operations.

The Effutu Municipal Director of the Game and Wildlife, Mr Andrew Agyekumhene, called for stiffer punishment for environmental offenders.