Buoho Residents Panic As Giant Boulder Rolls Into Homes

 

Panic gripped residents of Buoho in the Afigya Kwabre South District of the Ashanti Region when a massive boulder suddenly rolled downhill into a settlement area near a quarry site, narrowly avoiding what could have been a deadly catastrophe.

The shocking incident, which occurred over the weekend, has once again drawn attention to the growing menace of encroachment on restricted quarry zones, as experts and industry players sound alarm bells over the looming danger to human lives.

Eyewitnesses described the stone as “too huge for any human to move,” saying it came crashing down from a nearby hill and stopped just a few metres away from several houses. Terrified residents initially accused quarry operators of causing the incident through blasting activities.

However, investigations by DAILY GUIDE have revealed that the occurrence was not caused by any human activity but rather a natural geological event.

Mr. Emmanuel Addai, Manager of Kas Products Limited, explained that the rock’s movement was most likely the result of a natural avalanche — a situation where large stones resting on unstable ground become dislodged and roll downhill without warning.

“This was purely a natural phenomenon,” Mr. Addai clarified. “It is very unfortunate that people continue to put up buildings and live within quarry safety zones, despite the clear dangers. These are restricted areas by law for a reason.”

He expressed frustration over the persistent encroachment on quarry lands, stressing that it hampers safe operations and exposes both workers and residents to unnecessary risk.

“Encroachers make it extremely difficult for us to operate safely,” he lamented. “Their illegal presence in these danger zones not only puts lives at risk but also causes major financial losses for quarry companies when operations are disrupted.”

In the aftermath of the near-fatal event, Mr. Addai has called on the Afigya Kwabre South District Assembly, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), and relevant security agencies to take immediate steps to relocate residents from the high-risk areas before a tragedy occurs.

Other major quarry firms in the area, including ADU 2 Quarry, Modern Granite, ESM Quarry, and World Cool Quarry, have echoed the call, urging government and local authorities to strictly enforce existing safety regulations and clear all illegal settlers from the restricted zones.

They warned that failure to act swiftly could result in a devastating disaster, saying the Buoho incident should serve as a wake-up call to prevent future loss of lives and property.

 

FROM David Afum, Buoho

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