754 Nsawam Residents Sue Quarry Firms, State Over Blasting Damage ….Demand GH¢13.7m compensation

Over 750 people in Nsawam-Adoagyiri have filed a lawsuit against two quarry companies and four government entities, seeking GH¢13.78 million in compensation for damages caused by frequent blasting. The 754 plaintiffs, represented by Lukman Ali Osman, Ali Ibn E. Chambas, and Angela Adu-Poku, argue that Aky Mining Services Limited and Peabo Quarry Limited have been blasting without proper regard for the safety of nearby residents.

The complaint, filed as HR/022/2019, includes the Minister of Interior, the Minerals Commission, the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipal Assembly, and the Attorney-General among the defendants. The suit alleges that the blasting activities have caused personal injury, property damage, and business losses to the residents. The plaintiffs also accuse the state institutions of failing to regulate the quarry operations effectively, allowing the operators to use explosives in a way that endangered public safety.

The compensation demanded by the plaintiffs ranges from small sums to hundreds of thousands of cedis, totaling GH¢13,785,695. In addition to the monetary compensation, the plaintiffs are requesting interest on the amount from the time the lawsuit was filed until final payment is made. They also seek a perpetual injunction preventing the defendants from using the quarry as a storage facility for explosives.

Furthermore, the plaintiffs want the court to award them 25 percent of the total compensation as legal fees, as well as costs and any other appropriate relief. Despite previous demands, the plaintiffs maintain that the defendants have not compensated them for the alleged losses, and they believe court intervention is necessary to secure the compensation they deserve.