The Sanitation and Water Resources Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah has summoned the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Weija-Gbawe, Patrick Kumor over his alleged involvement in illegal sand mining around the Weija Water Treatment Plant.

This follows Monday’s visit by a joint Police and Military taskforce led by the Minister.

“I’m summoning the MCE to my office. I mean who would have imagined in his or her wildest dreams that people will just go up there to win stones and sand. This is to protect the plant, it is a security asset,” she told JoyNews’ Manuel Koranteng.

One of the miners who identified himself as Aikins, claimed he had the clearance of chiefs and local authorities in the area.

He alleged that the MCE was aware of the illegal operations at the Weija Water Treatment Plant.

“I went to the Assembly and the Assemblyman gave me a letter noticing the Water Works. The signature was quoted through the Assembly. Even though it wasn’t the MCE’s signature, he was in the know.”

“That is why he authorised the Assemblyman to write the letter. I have the backing of the chiefs; so, it is only reasonable that I construct the road. I sell a trip for GHC180 and share the proceeds with the chiefs,” he alleged.

Meanwhile the Managing Director of the GWCL, Dr. Clifford Braimah, strongly resisted any approval from the Ghana Water Company for such activity to be taken.

“Chiefs don’t construct roads, assemblies don’t construct roads. They should tell Highways and Ministry, then they’d talk to our Minister. Our engineers will sit and talk. Which palace constructs roads? That tarred road was done by the Ghana Water Company, not Urban Roads.”

“The law doesn’t give them the power [to continue the construction of that road]. I am not targeting him but he [Aikins] should stop bringing such information,” he noted.