JSC Mediterranean Ghana a Dredging Expert has expressed worry over massive sand winning activities on the Lower Volta saying the activity is causing havoc to the river and Residents living in and around it.
Addressing a news conference in Accra on Tuesday, the Managing Director of JSC Mediterranean Ghana, Prof. Albert Tsolu explained further that these illegal Sand winners are destroying the ecosystem along the river Bank and additionally polluting the water body that supplies potable water to those living along the Lower Volta.
Managing Director of JSC Mediterranean Ghana, Prof. Albert Tsolu
“These illegal sand winners are operating with augmented unprofessionalism by broadening and deepening the riverbed to unimaginable level thar is dangerous to inhabitants that use the river for subsistence”, Prof. Tsolu emphasized.
The JSC Managing Director however indicated that with the award of contract by VRA to EKO-H Mediterranean Ltd, now JSC Mediterranean Ghana to undertake dredging in the lower volta, these issues would be a thing of the past as JSC is resolved to stop all illegal sand winning activities on the lower Volta.
The dredging project which he said is a ten year contract would help the free flow of water which he said comes with many benefits.
Some of the benefits according to Prof. Tsolu include combating the habitat for bilharzia vector sails that cause river blindness as well prevent water borne diseases that affect the inhabitants living along the river banks.
He said the river channel, creeks and tributaries that have been clogged by floating and submerged vegetation will be cleared of weeds to ensure ease of access to the water by communities.
“It will also serve as restoration of commercial fishing by the intrusion of enough sea water into the river to sustain aquatic life
It will improve water transport of goods and people in the south and north sections of the Volta river”, the Managing Director revealed.
It is against the numerous benefits to be derived from the dredging project that JSC Mediterranean Ghana is warning illegal sand winners to stay off the Lower Volta.
Prof. Tsolu is therefore calling on the VRA and EPA to intensify the task force operation in the jurisdiction in order to curtain the sand winning activities.
“Notoriously some companies namely Z&J 198 Ghana Ltd and Sparking Shovels Ltd and some other sand winners that also took part in the tender but failed have refused to observe the directive to stop and are still operating in the lower Volta relentlessly”, he noted.
Prof. Tsolu also bemoaned the purchasing of river sand from these illegal Sand winners by government project Contractors which he said is disincentive to the dredging project.
Source:www.senaradioonline.com
