Abandoned quarry by company worsens land degradation

Numerous holes of various sizes left behind by Construction Pioneers (CP) at the Anyaa community near Ablekuma in Accra accounts for huge environmental degradation as residents complain.

Ten years after it discontinued its quarry activities, Construction Pioneers has left residents little to cheer about as it has not just degraded the environment but has further boosted the illegal activities of land guards.

According to some residents who mustered courage to speak to Sunday World, the rainy season which brings more water into the pits does not help matters as it induces massive breeding of mosquitoes, and has become home to dangerous reptiles such snakes that stray to nearby houses.

Land guards continue to stage their operations in the area thereby widening quarry holes. Stagnant water in the holes swell with the coming of the rains. In addition, when it rains, the water which is collected in the pits continually wash off the soil at the edge of the pit as it softens the land which may cause landslide later.

This poses danger to the buildings around the pits as they are now hanging and if no concrete steps are taken to remedy the situation, the buildings could be collapsing in a few years to come.

The question is, for how long should we wait for disasters to befall us in the face when something could be done to prevent them?

Another difficulty that the community members living around the pit face is the non-lucrative nature of trade in the area. Due to the huge pits, people find it cumbersome to cross from one side to the other to trade.

More so, residents have piled heaps of garbage at the edge at some parts of the pits. The stench which emanates from the garbage holes constitutes severe air pollution around the area.

Asked if they have ever called to any one for help, residents who spoke to Sunday World responded in alarm that they could not complain and voice out their problems since they would be attacked and harmed by the land guards who have taken over the quarry site. Others complained they do not even know the Assemblyman of the area so they could register their complaints.

Later, when the construction company at Ablekuma was contacted to find out why the pits were left unfilled, the Human Resource Manager, Mr. Mfum Sekye Kwakye, said, the company Construction Pioneers Concrete Product (CPCP) was established by its mother German company known as CP construction pioneers Baugeselischaft Anastalt.

A section of a notice to that effect states:

‘Notice is hereby given that the Ablekuma and Anyaa sections of CP construction Pioneers Baugeselischaft Anatalt (CP) has been taken over by Construction Pioneers Concrete Products (GH) Ltd. (CPCP), a Ghanaian company owned by CP Construction Pioneers Baugeselischaft Anstalt (CP) since January 1st , 2000’.

Mr. Mfum said the mother company operated the said quarry in collaboration with another construction company known as the Rock and Dirt Company.

Therefore if there be need for any clarification of issues concerning the quarry at Anyaa NIC, then the mother company at Jamestown should be contacted since the new company CPCP did not have anything to do with that quarry but rather the mother company did.

Mr. Charles Mensah Onuma, the Commercial Manager of the CP Construction Pioneers Baugeselischaft Anstalt, said CP at the time operated the quarry which has been divided by a road on the right under Dirt and Rock (D&R) company license while the latter operated on the left.

Therefore after stopping operations at the right side, they had wanted to fill the water-filled holes but residents refused to allow them as they claim it was their only source of water.

Mr Onuma said the D&R company also prevented them from filling up the rest of their quarry pits at the right side by reporting them to the police, as the act would eat into their side of the quarry.

He however gave an assurance that there was a reclamation plan for the quarry yet to be worked on.