Daasebre Osei Bonsu II, Omanhene of Asante-Mampong, has raised concern about the growing degradation of the area's environment, through illegal sand and stone winning and had tasked the Municipal Assembly to act firmly to tackle the situation.
He said the Sumanpamu River, the main source of water supply for the Asante-Mampong municipality as well as other water bodies are all now being threatened.
He said it was time the activities of the sand and stone winners were regulated to bring
some level of sanity.
Those in this business should make sure that they obtain permit and other relevant documents from the municipal assembly before they being allowed to operate,he cautioned.
Daasebre Osei Bonsu expressed the sentiment when he inspected some rivers and water bodies together with the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Daniel Appau Ohyeamang, officials from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Forest Services Division of the Forestry Commission He described the extent of damage to the water bodies as worrying.
The Omanhene said the assembly should do everything within its power to halt and bring the offenders to book
Mr Ohyeamang said the assembly is putting in place measures to reclaim large swathes of land destroyed by the illegal sand and stone winners and plant trees along the Samanpamu River's bank to protect it from drying up.
Additionally, all unauthorized structures built on waterways would be levelled to the ground.