Galamsey threatens Ghana’s provision of water – Researcher

A research fellow with Ghana’s Water Research Institute, Dr. Anthony Duah, has predicted that Ghana may import water in the near future for domestic use if illegal miners continue to pollute the country’s water bodies.

“Ghana is in a dire water situation and the sooner government brings to an end all illegal mining activities, the better it will be for us as a country.”

“The levels of pollution and dirt of the country’s water bodies are very high and it will take a long time to revive.”

Dr. Anthony Duah raised this concern in Tamale at a media encounter on the state of the country’s water situation organised by the Media Coalition Against Galamsey (MCAG).

The water Scientist lamented that, “Over the years, these things have happened and around 2010 we saw that this was not normal.”

He supported the Ghana Water Company Limited’s (GWCL) resolve to engage the services of national security operatives to clamp down on the activities of recalcitrant illegal miners and sand winners around the country’s main water bodies such as the Black, the White Volta and the Bui Rivers.

“The Black Volta, White Volta and the Bui River are all polluted as a result of illegal mining or galamsey activities and this is why I support the use of the military to deal with the situation.”

Dr. Anthony Duah further underscored the need for government to adequately resource the GWCL to supply clean water to consumers.

He also questioned the wholesomeness of water supplied by tanker service providers saying “Those who dispense the tank water are not reliable. We don’t even know where they get the water from.”

A representative of the Ghana Community Radio Network and Member of the Steering Committee of the MCAG, Kofi Larweh, told Citi News that significant successes had been chalked since the campaign was launched.

“But for the few recalcitrant people who are still secretly engaged in the galamsey activities, majority of the operators have stopped work upon government’s directive pending when the government would come out with a new policy direction on small scale mining.”

Mr. Larweh said plans were far advanced by the MCAG to reward individuals and institutions that have significantly contributed towards the fight against galamsey.

“Likewise, those who are clandestinely supporting galamsey operators to continue to engage in the act which lead to the destruction of the environment and water bodies, will soon be named and shamed to serve as a deterrent to others.”

As an anti-galamsey group, the MCAG is made up of the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), New Times Corporation (NTV), Private Newspaper Publishers Association (PRINPAG), Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and the Ghana Community Radio Network (GCRN).

#StopGalamsey

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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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