Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, Minister for Water and Sanitation, has described those doing illegal mining activities along river bodies as being evil and a threat to lives.
She advised the perpetrators to stop the practice to safeguard our water bodies and environment before the law catches them.
The Minister, who, together with Mr. Clifford Braimah, Managing Director of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), toured some water bodies in mining communities in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region to acquaint themselves with the level of degradation of the environment, reminded the people that it was important that every patriotic citizen helped in protecting our heritage.
She stated that there would be a taskforce in every town and village for the residents to provide information as to the whereabouts of the illegal miners for the various security agencies, including the police, military and National Security, to take the necessary action against anyone, be it a citizen or foreign national, caught in the act.
The Minister noted that in helping to protect the water bodies, the government would be able to provide clean water to the citizenry towards achieving the goal of SDG 6.
Mr. Clifford Braimah noted that the continuous destruction of water bodies through illegal mining adversely affect the lives of the people and increased the cost in the treatment of clean water for the people.
He said the cost of Aluminiumsulphate used to treat water for consumption was becoming more expensive.
He stated that the volume of water supplied to the people had been reduced, because about 50% of the water was wasted due to the high level of senility, instead of the usual 5%.
He stressed that maintenance of the machines had also become a problem, compelling the company to stop regular maintenance.
The GWCL MD disclosed that, the cost of treatment was affecting them and reduced production, because anytime the machines were stopped for maintenance, people would not have water to drink, while the cost multiplied.
“Illegal mining, therefore, cannot be taken for a joke and must be tackled with all seriousness,” he advised.
