The failure of the Akufo Addo administration to effectively fight the illegal mining menace (Galamsey) has forced the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) to start rationing water supply across the country, starting with the Greater Accra Region on March 3, 2020.
The GWCL claims the rationing is for “planned maintenance”. A statement released by the state water company read: “Customers in the affected areas are therefore being advised to store enough water before the interruption. Supply will be restored as soon as the maintenance work is completed.”
However, critics believe that was the whitewashed version of the reasons for the water rationing. The main problem, they insist is the unbridled destruction of water bodies by galamsey operations involving both illegal miners and officials of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
A couple of weeks ago the GWCL warned that it will be forced to halt the production and supply of water if illegal small scale mining goes unabated because the illicit operations are destroying important water bodies that feed GWCL reservoirs.
Speaking on the Accra-based CITI FM last week, the Western Regional Chief Manager of GWCL, Francis Agyei-Boateng, explained that even though water rationing often happens around the beginning of the second quarter of the year, the reasons for rationing (dry harmattan season) has been worsened because of galamsey.
“Galamsey is a threat to water supply in Ghana. As a country, if we do not so something about it, then in years to come, it is going to be very difficult for us to produce water to citizens in Ghana. Operations have been normal until the last couple of weeks when we were hit by the conditions that have impacted our operations,” Mr. Agyei-Boateng warned.
“…the effects of Galamsey is compelling us to ration water. We are now producing about 40 to 50 per cent of our normal production. It is a very bad situation that Galamsey is having on our operations…Until Galamsey started in earnest, we did not have problems with that.”
GWCL branches in other parts of the country are expected to start rationing water soon because galamsey is a phenomenon that permeates virtually every part of the country.