…Over Sand Winning Saga At Old Ningo-Bernganor
Three landguards who are illegal sand winners undertook sand-winning operations without a license at Bernganor located at Old Ningo of the Ningo Prampram District of the Greater Accra Region, have been remanded by an Ashaiman Circuit Court on Monday October 7, 2024.
The three persons who are standing trial in court together with a military officer from 48 Engineer Regiment at Teshie barrack of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) were arrested on Thursday October 3, 2024 on the land belonging to the Seamless International Limited/ Comet Properties Limited at Old Ningo-Bernganor in the Ningo Prampram District.
Their arrest follows a tipoff about the ongoing illegalities on the land at Old Ningo-Bernganor in the Ningo Prampram District whose activities are threatening the Prampram beach front housing project where a developer is constructing the Atlantic Beachfront Resorts and Residential Master-Planned City.
The accused persons who had been described as the land-guards are Emmanuel Doodu, Samuel Danso and Vincent Oko Narh Taffah including a military officer from 48 Engineer Regiment at Teshie barrack in Accra who was identified as Augustine Yeboah.
The accused persons were charged with the conspiracy to commit crime by acting as land guards who are protecting activities of illegal miners on the land at Old Ningo-Bernganor.
However, the accused persons were granted bail in the sum of GH₵60,000 each with two surities each to be justified with immovable property located in the courts jurisdiction.
But the suspects had not met the bail conditions hence the court presided over by His Lordship Justice Simon Gaga remanded them into police custody to reappear before the court on Monday November 25, 2024.
The accused persons are in police custody.
Further investigations have revealed that the accused solider Augustine Yeboah, who
was handed over to the Military Command in accordance with the Ghana Police Service instructions was not in court on Monday October 7, 2024 although they were adequately about the court date.
It has emerged that a bench warrant was issued, but the military police escorted him (Augustine Yeboah) to the court after the court had osed con Monday October 7, 2024. But the accused soldier is due in court today Tuesday October 8,2024.
Brief background of the case
The military officer who was arrested was hired by illegal sand winning contractor to provide protection and security for the land-guards/ winners.
The milliary man was protecting human security for these individuals to engage in illegal sand winning activities which are posing a serious threat to the ongoing Atlantic Beachfront Resorts and Residential Master-Planned City, commonly known as the Comet Marina.
Meanwhile, Akua Afriyie, who speaks for the developer, Seamless International Limited/Comet Properties Limited lamented that the illegal sand winning is threatening the Prampram beach front housing project.
According to the developer, the future of the project is at risk if the ongoing “illegal” sand mining in the area continues.
Akua Afriyie said the project, which is an addition to Ghana’s upscale real estate market, was facing significant disruptions as a result of the illegal sand mining activities in the area.
Akua Afriyie highlighted the environmental damage caused by the mining, including excavation to depths of 10 to 20 feet across approximately 21 acres.
He indicated that the total cost of waste and destruction to the environment will be GH 55 million before the developers can fully reclaim their land.
“The unauthorised sand mining has reportedly been taking place under the cover of darkness,” she added.
Madam Afriyie warned of potential severe erosion, long-term ecological damage, and safety risks to the 400-acre project site, which is planned to feature sea-front hotels, apartments, restaurants, and a gated community with lagoons and rivers.
The company has therefore called for enhanced security measures and urgent intervention from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
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