EPA boss: Illegal sand winning contributing to Keta tidal waves
At least 3,000 people in Keta municipality have been rendered homeless after tidal waves swept through their homes on Sunday
The Executive director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr Henry Kwabena Kokofu, is blaming the latest tidal wave in Keta partly to the increasing activities of illegal sand winners along the coastal areas.
At least 3,000 people in the Keta municipality have been rendered homeless after tidal waves swept through their homes on Sunday.
Communities such as Abutiakope, Kedzikope and Keta Central were largely affected with residents left with nothing to salvage.
Speaking to Nana Yaa Mensah on The Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday (8 November), Kokofu said: “It is quite disturbing, that has been the warning that we have got to be very careful.”
“Recently we were in the news battling some people winning sand and exporting them illegally to Togo to go and sell and so once you do all these things, you are encouraging this degradation, and you are encouraging the sea tidal waves to invade on the land and cause havoc.”
He added: “So, our attitude as a people is a major thing to look at. It has to do with awareness creation and education and applying the law by punishing the wrongdoer.”
The EPA boss is also advocating for a review of the way sea defence wall is built in addressing the tidal wave menace.
“Going forward we have got to look at the whole concept of sea defence wall and the construction methods. The escalation of the tidal wave as a result of climate change is somehow a cause… but the practical way is to stop the sand winning,” Kokofu said.
Fred Dzakpata
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