Water Day - Involve Chiefs, Leaders, Others in Fight Against Galamsey - GWCI

The Managing Director of Ghana Water Company Limited, Dr. Clifford A. Braimah has lamented the huge sums of money being spent to treat water for Ghanaians, as some of their treatment plants across the country are still hit by the operations of illegal miners (galamseyers).

According to him, a treatment plant at Bonsra in the Western Region, used three bags of Alluminium Sulphate daily to treat water when illegal miners were not present in the area, and later increased to 12 bags of the chemicals when the galamseyers intensified their operations.

"And just yesterday the Ghana Water Company used 10 bags of alluminum sulphate to treat water for the people of Bosra and the surrounding towns and villages.

"This shows how the situation is getting worse," he said.

Delivering his solidarity message to mark this year's World Water Day celebration at the Manhean Fish Market at Ngleshie-Amanfrom, in the Greater Accra Region, yesterday, Dr Braimah intimated that though "Operation Vanguard" was doing well in its fight against galamsey, the exercise would only yield a short term result rather than long term.

He, therefore, called for a holistic approach to be adopted by involving the traditional rulers, community and opinion leaders, non-governmental organisations and the youth to spearhead the vigorous campaign against the menace.

"We need to completely change our attitude otherwise whatever interventions the government puts in place would never yield any positive results," he emphasised.

The theme for the celebration,'Nature for Water.'

Mr. Joseph Kofi Adda, Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources whose keynote address was read on his behalf by the Director of Water at the Ministry, Mr. Donald Tay, said that heavy reliance on water in Ghana, called for the pursuit of water security which featured prominently in the nation's development agenda.

"It is heart-warming to note that practical action is being taken to develop public-private partnerships to address the deteriorating Volta Delta through "win-win" result oriented programmes of restoring lost mangroves, improving the livelihoods of local resource users, biodiversity and enhancing coastal defence.

"While the government is committed and taking pragmatic actions to control and curb illegal mining activities, I wish to take this opportunity to encourage and charge each and every one of us to be also committed by lending support and seriously come up with well meaning collaborative and sustainable interventions in addressing the problem," Mr. Addah stressed.

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