Galamsey: Save our water bodies – Kofi A Mensah

 

The current state of our water bodies depicts clearly that Ghana in some few years would undoubtedly lose all its water bodies to pollution. 

From results attained by researchers on most of these water bodies, we have come to know that some of these water bodies are highly polluted to the extent that they cannot be recycled and even if they could, it would demand a huge sum of money.

Something I have reason to believe Ghana is surely not ready for. 

Most of these water bodies appear to be threatened by illegal mining activities otherwise known as “galamsey” operations funded by foreigners particularly the Chinese.

In the western region in particular three main water bodies are said to be polluted and these include river Pra, Daboase and Ankobra. 

The current state is barely giving the necessary attention it needs hence day in day out we encounter more of such operations on our water bodies. The enormousness of the pollution has compelled some of our industries whose work depends solely on water to shut down due to water shortage since recycling of some of the polluted water bodies particularly River Pra is now impossible. 

In most cases, plants that were put in place to help in water treatment have been shut down due to pollution and for this reason boreholes are being constructed to enhance water supply to most of the communities. 

Even with this, some very remote communities still lack access to clean drinkable water. This has made it quite clearly that Africans particularly Ghanaians do not plan for future with action. 

What are our politicians doing about this situation and what are we as indigenes of the bigger community also doing about it. It is time that we all assume our very responsibilities as citizens and tune our minds to protecting our resources for the benefit of generations to come.

In some cases, most of these water bodies have become centers for waste disposal be it plastic waste, organic etc. We are always craving for change yet mentally, we are not ready for change. A more appalling situation is when indigenes walk long distances passing the community public toilets only to defecate at the shores be it a lake shore, sea shore etc.

Ironically, when these structures were not in place, these very people complained of being left out and so much more. 

Lets save our water bodies.