Stop building on Aburi Hill – Geological Survey Authority warns

The Ghana Geological Survey Authority is recommending the halting of constructions on the Aburi Cliff following two landslides recorded on the Peduase-Ayi Mensah stretch in a space of nine days.

The incidents which have led to that stretch cordoned off to traffic have left many workers and residents living in fear.

The Acting Director-General of the Ghana Geological Survey Authority, Dr. Daniel Boamah in an interview said there’s the need for constructions on the cliff to be halted.

He also wants the Engineers to consider reducing the steepness of the slope.

“We’re looking at the nature of the rock, in such case if there’s a disturbance in the course of road construction and building it tends to weaken and makes the slope very weak that’s what we call the slope failure.

“We can only advise that with what is happening there because of the nature of the rock in the slope similar things can happen. Going forward we shouldn’t be allowing people to do construction work there because excavation and construction work will tend to weaken the already volatile situation. But if they can find a way of making the slope not very steep like a step then it will sort of reduce it in some way.”

Meanwhile, the Ghana Highway Authority says it terminated the contract that engaged CST Limited to work on the building of anchors against rockfalls and slope failures on the Aburi Hills as a result of non-compliance.

Speaking on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 Fm, the Head of Public Relations at the Ghana Highway Authority, Diana Siade disclosed that a new contractor is being considered to get the work done soon.

She expressed regrets about the series of rockfalls that have happened in the past days and the inconvenience caused pedestrians at that section of the Ayi Mensah – Peduase stretch.

The government initiated road works on sections of that stretch in 2016 to put a steel mesh over the slope to be held by anchor bolts, but the contract has been terminated with only 40% of work done so far.

The management of CST, the contractor working on the project in a statement on October 20, 2019 said it’ll fight the unlawful termination of its contract by the Ghana Highway Authority.

“As of now, the contract engaging us to work has been unlawfully terminated and we are seeking legal arbitration on the matter.” a statement from the local contractor said.

CST Limited is an indigenous Ghanaian company in the business of manufacturing Rockfall Nets, Gabion baskets, CST 3D sandwich building panels and a range of wire products, the statement added.

CST Limited also installs wire products for security, safety and constructional needs as well as intrusion detection systems, it observed.