Assessing the impacts of quarrying on the geological structure of Weija hills in Ga South Municipality

Abstract

Quarrying has become an important socio-economic activity in many societies as it provides a number of services for human well-being. This notwithstanding, the unique environmental characteristic of every proposed site for quarry activity should be taken into consideration. The Weija Hills at the Ga South Municipality falls within the earthquake zone of Accra, yet quarrying activities are carried out at various sections of the hills causing series of environmental problems. The study assessed the impact of quarrying on the geological structure of the Weija Hills. The study employed the mixed method approach following the exploratory sequential research design. The study found out that, the local geology of the Weija Hills is still stable. However, there are serious environmental problems such as erosion taking place and large quantities of weathered and eroded sediments are carried down slope any time it rained. This leads to flooding and blocking of the Mallam-Kasoa Highway annually. The study also found that, institutional control and involvement in dealing with the problem had not been very effective. If the condition remains unchanged, there could be an imminent landslide at the Weija Hills in the near future. Therefore, the study recommended that; first, the quarrying activity should be stopped on the Weija Hills and secondly all government institutions; the Minerals Commission, Mines Department of the Environmental Protection Agency, NADMO and the Municipal Assembly should collaborate and reclaim the land at the quarried sites as early as possible.