Nana Yaw Barima Barnieh, the Communications Manager of Ghana Water Limited (GWL) for the Western and Central Regions, has revealed that certain food vendors are using water contaminated by illegal mining activities, commonly known as galamsey, to cook for the public.
He added that the company’s 30 percent reduction in water production due to galamsey, should serve as a wake-up call for Ghanaians to take the fight against the menace seriously.
The company has reduced its production at the Sekyerehemang Headworks by 30 percent due to galamsey activities along the banks of the river Pra.
Although this move will impact some communities within the region, the company is prepared to supplement its production with supplies from the Bremsu Headworks.
Following the dredging and desilting of the Pra River, Eric Seth Atiapah, the Chief Manager of the water distribution company told journalists that they were ready to initiate a sensitisation campaign for communities along the banks about the impact of galamsey activities on their operations.
But in an interview with Selorm Adonoo on Citi FM‘s Eyewitness News on Friday, Mr Barnieh pointed out the criticality of fighting the menace seriously as some individuals used the polluted water to prepare food for the public.
“This is a wake-up call for all Ghanaians. In fact, the galamsey operations affect everybody including the illegal miners themselves because of the bad quality water some people are harnessing it and using it to prepare food for people to buy unknown to all of us,” he stated.