According to the associations, farmlands and plantations of their members in the Eastern, Central, and Greater Accra regions are being razed to the ground, leaving nothing but destruction in their wake by armed men who operate in broad daylight, providing security for the sand winners.

The President of the Pineapple Producers and Exporters Association of Ghana, Solomon Benjamin, who notes that there’s currently a state of panic in the industry, warns that the industry’s survival is at stake, with farmers struggling to maintain production amidst the destruction.

Meanwhile, one of the victims, Bomarts Farms Ltd., whose 155-acre agroforestry plantation is currently under siege by illegal sand winners and land guards at Kofi Kwei near Nsawam, says its 15-year investment, worth millions, is being destroyed.

The CEO, Anthony Botchway, in an interview with Citi News, says the livelihoods of over 1,600 workers and the company’s export capabilities are being threatened.