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.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Geography Education,
Faculty of Social Sciences, submitted to the School of
Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Master of Philosophy
(Geography Education)
in the University of Education, Winneba
AUGUST, 2020
