The polluted River Ankobra
Majority of the sources of water in the country are polluted. It is even more disturbing when those responsible for the dangerous state of affairs are human beings who could not care a hoot about the effects of their killer activities.
Until recently many did not find stories about the pollution of water bodies in the country by gold prospectors or galamseyers anything worth reading, let alone joining the crusade to stop the irresponsible occupations.
We are grateful that at long last we have reached a stage where the reality of the situation and the fact of our proximity to the precipice have dawned on most of us. Let others who have eyes and ears see and hear the realities of the destruction of our water bodies.
We must not only be grateful to God that we are blessed with a president who is conscious about the dire state of our water bodies, but one who is sincerely determined to reverse the situation, regardless of threats from the few beneficiaries of the pollution.
The fight to restore our water bodies to their previous states has received a fillip from the newly installed Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited, Dr. Clifford Brimah.
He announced in his May Day message to workers that his company is going to commission an audit of the state of our water bodies. The importance of such an exercise cannot be over-emphasised because many of these water sources have not been only polluted, but contaminated by dangerous substances used by mineral prospectors in their occupations – a critical reality we must consider with all earnesty.
We salute the MD for his foresight because without such an audit, the extent of the damage cannot be determined let alone solutions prescribed.
We pray that the MD undertakes this rather serious assignment without undue delay, given the magnitude of the pollution. There are a few Ghanaians who do not appreciate the scale of the destruction and can only be convinced and carried along in the crusade when provided with such details. The brownish water bodies speak a lot about their deteriorating quality, but with the scientific audit put out we would get a better impression that would inform the company’s next line of action, which should be soonest.
Another exciting agenda the GWCL has set out to do is the bolstering of communities sense of water bodies with a view to having them police these.
This is a novelty which must be supported by all. There is no doubt that when members of communities begin to appreciate the need to protect the source of their water, they will fight to the hilt to ward off illegal miners who would destroy these sources for their selfish desires.
Education is needed to get such community members along. It is a war of minds which success would definitely deal a final fatal blow to galamsey.
The threat to our water bodies should not be taken lightly and with the GWCL as represented by its MD joining the crusade big time with the aforementioned novelties, the battle is close to being won.