Galamsey Ravages Rivers in Eastern, Western and Central Regions — GWCL Boss

The Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Adam Mutawakilu, has expressed grave concern over the worsening state of key water bodies in the Eastern, Western, and Central Regions, blaming illegal mining activities for high turbidity levels that are severely affecting water treatment operations.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with JoyNews, Mr Mutawakilu explained that while some rivers have shown marginal improvements in water quality, others continue to deteriorate due to the destructive activities of illegal miners.

“Take the Western, Eastern, and Central; we have significant challenges with some of the rivers. But when you look at it, it’s mixed. While in some of the river bodies the turbidity is declining, others’ turbidity is going up, so it’s a mix,” he said.

Using data collected between 2014 and 2015, the GWCL boss highlighted the uneven progress in water quality across different river systems.
“I did a comparison between 2014 and 2015. If you take River Densu in Nsawam, you realise that the turbidity has been dropping over the months. If you go up and take Kwanyako, then the turbidity has been going up, so the resource is mixed,” he added.

Mr Mutawakilu noted that the Kwanyako Water Treatment Plant in the Central Region is among the worst affected, forcing the company to take urgent measures to keep operations running.
“I visited Kwanyako; that plant has a challenge. We are working around the clock to dredge it and then find other alternatives to handle it,” he explained.

While some treatment plants have been shut down over the years due to extreme pollution, others have been successfully revived to ensure a consistent water supply.
“We have the Kyebi treatment plant—it was down some years ago, came back, and is down now. Daboase is operating, and Bonsa is operating. It was down when I came, but we’ve revived it, and it’s now operating. So there is a positive light at the end of the tunnel. We, Ghana Water, are working around to see how we have other ways of making sure that we continue to produce water irrespective of the challenges,” he said.

On calls for a state of emergency in galamsey-hit areas, the GWCL boss argued that such an approach could do more harm than good.
“The question is, will a state of emergency solve the problem? Me, I don’t think so. The government has deployed so much action and continues to explore, but a state of emergency shouldn’t affect the communities within which the mining takes place. Businesses will come down, a lot of things will be crashed, and they need to survive as well,” he stated.

Mr Mutawakilu stressed that the fight against galamsey required unwavering government commitment and sustained enforcement rather than emergency declarations.
“For me, it’s not about a state of emergency. It’s the commitment the government, His Excellency John Mahama, is showing, and with his appointees, to fight in it. “A state of emergency will not be the solution to it,” he concluded.

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