Galamseyers Still Pollute River Ankobra Under The Full Glare Of State Regulators

IT HAS EMERGED that River Ankobra in the Western Region is still seriously polluted due to illegal small scale gold mining activities under the full glare of local authorities and regulators.

The Senior journalist of Soireenews.com 

can report that in spite of efforts by the government’s anti-illegal mining taskforce, Operation Halt, the illegal miners, popularly known as ‘galamseyers’ have increased, thereby eroding the gains so far chalked by members of the national task force.

A visit to the Western Region by this journalist recently revealed that even though eight mining firms which were secretly involved in illegal mining operations and discharging waste into the river had stopped operations, other minors were back, and operating in resentful alacrity.

Communities where the river flows, especially Awulezo, Duale, Ablebo, Akango, Assuawah, Apansie, Hiawa, Wassa Akropong, Ankwanso, Esikuma, Asonua, Prestea, Huni-Valley including many other hamlets, this journalist observed, were all doing brisk galamsey business.

Some of the illegal miners who spoke to this journalist at Awulezo, Duale, Ablebo, Akango, Assuawah and  Apansie communities where the destructive mining is taking place implicated the top appointees of the current government.

Upon a tip-off, I arrived at these communities and that to my surprise, I heard the noise of machines working on the water body of River Ankobra.

During the fact finding mission, I have also saw plenty of illegal miners and their mining equipment, including chanfans and water-pumping machines prospecting gold on the water body of River Ankobra.

River Ankobra, which Ghana’s largest water basin, takes its source from North East of Sefwi Wiawso in the northern part of Western Region. The river further meanders its way 190 kilometers southwards into the Gulf of Guinea.

Some residents of Hiawa, whose main occupation before the influx of galamsey was fishing, lamented the return of the illegal minors after the initial break.

According to them, things had gone bad again and were getting worse by the day.

The banks of River Ankobra in the Prestea and Huni-Valley area, which became a business hub before the formation of the government’s anti-illegal mining taskforce, Operation Halt, this journalist further observed, had bounced back for business.

Some residents who interacted with our senior  reporter, however, appeared unconcerned about the destruction of the river as that was what they got their daily bread from.

Godfrey Asare Mosi, a resident of Awulezo, bemoaned that: “the galamsey operators are all over the place so this contaminated water we see here is due to their activities. 

It changed a little when the national task force began their operations, but sadly they are back. Ankobra looks brownish and milky again.”

“I cry for Ghana and it is my wish that all patriotic Ghanaians will cry with me. I have heard of galamsey, but the reality of it hit me when I arrived at this village to work as a teacher and saw river Ankobra. I think the work of the government task force is in vain,” some of the residents in the area noted.

An 85-year-old man, resident of Ankwaso, another community along the bank of the river, Emmanuel Oppong, told our reporter that the scourge of galamsey had transformed “our once purely blue Ankobra, into heavy polluted and unsightly water that can no longer sustain aquatic and community livelihood. 

The youth don’t care about the damage they are causing to the river; they are only interested in money. They are back into the river. Efforts of the President are in vain.”

Some of the residents accused politicians, especially, District and Metropolitan Chief Executives, of undermining the effort of the President.

According to them, these politicians know those behind the pollution of the river Ankobra.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo launched anti-illegal mining taskforce, Operation Halt in 2021 after an intense media campaign, which called for action to stop galamsey in the country to save water bodies and the vegetation cover.

Since it was launched, over 1,000 illegal miners have been arrested and their equipment seized, with over 340 makeshift accommodations destroyed and mining equipment, including chanfans, water-pumping machines, motorcycles and tri-cycles abandoned by illegal miners.