A resident of Tarkwa, Tony Nkrumah Boateng, has expressed deep frustration over the worsening galamsey crisis, warning that illegal mining activities have completely destroyed the Bonsa River, which serves as a vital water source for Tarkwa and its surrounding communities.
Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Boateng said residents have now reached a point of desperation.
“We have gotten to a stage where we cannot do anything about it again. The water we depend on, the Bonsa River is gone. It has been turned into a galamsey pit,” he lamented.
According to him, the situation is so dire that only households with boreholes can access water.
“For some of us who are not engineers, the layman’s view is that what we are seeing now is sand and rocks. The water that the Ghana Water Company is supposed to extract for treatment is no longer there,” he added.
Mr. Boateng noted that despite authorities, including the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), the Western Regional Minister, and the Member of Parliament for the area, being aware of the problem, little has been done to provide relief to residents.
“If you are looking for water and it is not there, then it means all you will see is sand. On the Bonsa River, when you drive from Takoradi towards Tarkwa, you will see a little water in town, but just 200 meters after that, the river is completely dry,” he explained.
He stressed that most parts of Tarkwa have been severely affected, leaving thousands without water.
“Those of us who depend on water in Tarkwa and its environs don’t have water. The authorities know the problem, but they haven’t told us when it will be resolved,” he complained.
Mr. Boateng questioned whether the country values water more than gold.
“We need to ask ourselves as a municipality: do we need water, or do we need gold? Because the illegal miners are exploiting the gold deposits, but authorities seem unconcerned. If this continues, it will become a big worry for us all,” he said.
He further revealed that residents are now forced to rely on private water tankers and boreholes since the Ghana Water Company has not provided any support.
“The Ghana Water Company has not taken responsibility to give us water. For instance, my water tank takes 700 litres, and to fill it—which lasts about three weeks—is very expensive and is draining our money,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Chief Executive for Tarkwa-Nsuaem, Ebenezer Cobbinah, has renewed his commitment to protecting the Bonsa River from further pollution, while Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson has assured residents that the government will intensify its fight against illegal mining on water bodies to ensure households get safe drinking water.
Source: Dorcas Abedu-Kennedy
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