An Assessment of the Institutional Capacity for the Management of Quarry Industries in Ghana: The Case of Buoho Stone Quarries

Abstract

Globally, the stone quarrying industry is considered as one of the most vibrant industries that provide a huge source of revenue for every country. Technological advancement all over the world has led to an immense improvement in the way quarrying activities are carried out. Moreover, several other emerging trends such as increase in customer expectation, increase in demand for production and the need to reduce cost of production has led to the delivery of poor services by quarrying industries which in turn has resulted in a huge negative impact on the environment. It is clear that technological advancement will continue to play a significant role in quarrying activities, it is therefore necessary to minimize the harmful effects quarrying activities pose to the environment. It is in light of this that both primary and secondary data were collected with structured interviews undertaken with all relevant institutional stakeholders in the Afigya Kwabre District Assembly. However, the study revealed that quarrying as an activity has several negative environmental effects, in spite of the numerous economic and social gains the activity comes along with. The study therefore recommends that quarrying companies spray water on their conveyor belts to reduce the amount of dust produced from their operations. The study further recommends that a buffer zone is created and strictly adhered to by the Town and Country Planning Department of the Afigya Kwabre district to help in the restoration of such sites.

Key words: Stone, Quarry, Environment, Restoration .