The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) in the Central Region has added its voice to growing demands for the government to ban small-scale mining in the country.
Nana Yaw Barima Barnie, the company’s Public Relations Officer, highlighted that the GWCL is facing significant challenges in purifying water due to extreme turbidity levels, which have surpassed the system’s designed capacity.
He emphasized the urgent need to stop small-scale mining activities before the company is forced to use stronger chemicals to make the water safe for public consumption.
When asked whether he supports calls by the Ghana Medical Association for the President to issue an absolute ban to end galamsey he said “I very much agree with them. In fact the aim of Ghana Water Company in bringing out this statement is that attention should be drawn to it so that the galamsey on river bodies, Ghana Water Company want to see galamsey stopped entirely,” he said on September 7.
His remarks come after the Ghana Medical Association called on President Akufo-Addo to immediately and decisively ban all forms of small-scale mining.
In a joint statement, the association, which includes doctors, nurses, environmental health officers, and other health professionals, expressed concern over the growing incidence of respiratory and waterborne diseases in mining communities.
The health workers warned that if small-scale mining continues unchecked, it will pose a significant health risk to Ghanaians, especially those in rural areas.
Recalling his childhood in a village in the Ashanti Region, Mr. Barnie noted that they used to drink directly from rivers while visiting farms, as the water was clean and safe.
Building on this, he urged for a complete ban on illegal mining to prevent further contamination of rivers. He emphasized that when rivers are left undisturbed, they naturally recover and return to their original clear and pure state.
“So we must get to a point where River Pra, the water in river Pra will become colorless and we can stand at the bank of this river and we can see the fishes swimming in the river. That is what we are all waiting for,” he added.
