Residents of Winneba in the Central Region are grappling with an acute water shortage following the pollution of the Ayensu River by illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey.
According to local authorities, recent tests on the river — which has long served as the main source of water for households and small businesses — revealed dangerously high levels of silt and chemicals believed to be used by illegal miners upstream, which has forced the Effutu Municipal Assembly to provide alternative water sources for residents.
The contamination has forced many residents to abandon the river and seek alternative water sources, including buying water from private suppliers or traveling long distances to fetch clean water.
Municipal authorities led by the Chief Executive (MCE) for Effutu, Atta Mensah, said urgent steps are being taken to mitigate the crisis.
He said “We want to avoid a situation where there will be an outbreak of diseases. People are drinking from the Ayensu, which is heavily polluted by galamsey. We have, therefore, resolved to drill boreholes in affected communities to address the crisis.”
He stated that they are in talks with the Ghana Water Company Limited and the Environmental Protection Agency to find urgent solutions, including treating the polluted water and cracking down on illegal mining sites, adding that ten boreholes will be drilled across selected areas to complement ongoing water deliveries by tanker services.
However, residents fear that relief may not come soon enough.
The situation in Winneba adds to growing concerns about the impact of galamsey on Ghana’s water bodies, as several rivers and streams across the country — including the Pra, Birim, and Ankobra — have suffered similar pollution in recent years.
