The Water Resources Commission (WRC) has warned against wanton dissipation of Ghana’s water resources.
The warning, according to the Commission, follows intense activities of illegal miners across parts of the country, therefore resulting in extreme pollution of water bodies in affected mining communities.
The Commission, has therefore, noted with serious concerns, the repercussions of the actions of these illegal miners.
According to the Commission, although it has the ultimate mandate offered by the laws of the country to manage water resources, most communities hosting these water resources have not been cooperative in supporting the Commission to deliver its mandate of protecting and promoting water resources nationwide.
“Water Resources Commission is a body setup by an Act of Parliament. Water Resources Commission Act ( Act 522).
You know, that as a country, we regard water as a resource, and we manage that as such. Water, being a resource, is vested in the President, and it is managed on behalf of the people of Ghana”.
Addressing traditional rulers and opinion leaders of Gwira Traditional Council, in the Nzema East Municipality of Western Region, the District Officer of the Commission, Francis Acquah Swanzy called for concerted effort through collaborations and cooperation among stakeholders, to defeat illegal miners whose activities continue to tamper with Ghana’s water resources negatively.
“Water Resources Commission was setup to sustainably manage the country’s water resources. In doing so, we have various LI’s passed by Parliament of Ghana, the water use, the buffer zone, the dam safety, the drilling and ground water development. These are all setup to help sustainably manage our water resources” he pointed out.
Unfortunately, he expressed regret that “we have serious attack on our water bodies being caused by activities of illegal miners.
They are illegal miners because, they do not have permit from the Water Resources Commission to use the water bodies, let alone discharge its affluence into the water”.
Explaining further, he said “Within the Gwira enclave, we have not permitted any water use activity in the small-scale mining industry, hence, to us, we see all these activities ongoing as illegal. We are calling on everybody, to note that before you obtain a permit to use any water resource, the communities are consulted.
“We are implementing what we call, Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) which involves every one of us in protecting, preserving, and managing our water bodies. We cannot do this alone, it requires a collective effort from everyone to help us achieve the required results” he emphasized
Water Resources Commission, he explained, carried out the workshop to inform and educate traditional rulers in the Gwira traditional area to understand the negative impact of these illegal mining activities currently being visited on communities endowed with mineral resources and destroying the environment through activities of operators of illegal mining.
Francis Acquah Swanzy called on all stakeholders to join hands with the Commission in the fight against these illegal mining activities.
He said the campaign to end all forms of illegal mining activities in Ghana, especially in the Western Region, where the majority of Ghana’s gold reserves currently are being exploited, it would appear daunting, but, the stakeholders must believe in the fighting process and that all Chiefs must join hands to make Ghana win the battle for present and future generations.
He said once Ghana succeeds in doing this, then the government would be able to protect the environment for generations of today and those yet unborn.
On his part, the Paramount Chief of Gwira Traditional Area in Nzema East Municipality, Awulae Angama Tu-Agyan, called on traditional rulers in the country not to give up in the fight against these illegal mining activities.
He said protection of the environment, is the primary responsibility of all traditional rulers, and therefore, chiefs must be seen to be leading the fight against wanton destruction of Ghana’s environment being caused by the nefarious activities of illegal mining operators.
Speaking to journalists on the sideline of the workshop he facilitated, the outspoken traditional ruler, who has been at the forefront of the war against environmental degradation, made a passionate appeal to Chiefs to stop sacrificing their lands for peanuts even in the face of the temptation and lucrative nature of illegal mining activities.
As one of the paramouncies endowed with natural resources, the Paramount Chief of Gwira Traditional Area Awulae Angama Tu-Agyan, said his people must obviously be aware of the temptations involved in attracting illegal mining operators.
He said they must also be aware of the threats accompanying the fight against illegal mining activities across the country, but they should not be detracted or perturbed in waging war against environmental degradation.
The Paramount Chief summoned all his traditional rulers to his palace last week for the Water Resources Commission to school them on dangers associated with illegal mining activities, not just for the present generation, but also for future generations.
The vociferous Chief, whose campaign against illegal mining activities is widely known, said, posterity would not forgive Chiefs who are selling lands arbitrarily and conniving with illegal miners to defile nature through wanton destruction of water bodies, forest cover, and farmlands.
By: Zambaga Rufai Saminu | Metrotvonline.com | Ghana
