Gomoa residents petition EPA over pollution from Pilot Stone Quarry
Residents of four communities in the Gomoa East and West District of the Central Region have petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Minerals Commission over the establishment of a stone quarry near their homes.
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According to them, explosions and dust from the quarry were causing daily problems for them including creating cracks in their buildings and polluting water bodies in the area.
The communities are Gomoa Ojobi, Akotsi, Buduatta and Akramanman. The petition which was signed by representatives from the four communities has since been handed over to the EPA.
The representatives told Graphic Online that this was the second time they were sending a petition to complain about the problem since they were yet to receive a response on the first one.
Impact of the quarry
During a tour to the affected communities by Graphic Online, it was observed that many buildings, especially the uncompleted ones have developed cracks.
According to the residents apart from the impact of the explosions on their houses, the dust and small particles from the blast were also polluting the water in the area.
“Anytime it rains, the water that comes from our roof is dirty such that you cannot use it to do anything,” Opanyin Kweku Gomoa said.
According to him, he had been living in the town all his life, adding that there was no problem until Pilot Quarry begun operating in the area.
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Another resident of Gomoa Akotsi, Mr Lawerence Tawiah, said since the quarry begun operation, the daily activities of the residents have been affected negatively with most of them preferring to do business outside the town.
“We hear boom and the sound alone is enough to make you run and live your business behind. Trust me, you cannot pretend you are fine when it happens,” he said.
Efforts made by Graphic Online during the visit to the area to contact the management of Pilot Quarry for a response to the complaints of the residents was not successful as security men at the quarry site said there was no management member available to speak.