CONIWAS expresses worry over increasing effects of galamsey

The Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) has expressed strong concern about the increasing effects of illegal mining (Galamsey) on the country’s major water bodies.

“Major rivers like the Pra, Ankobra, Birim, and Offin have been heavily contaminated with toxic chemicals, posing long-term health risks including neurological disorders, kidney damage, and developmental issues in children.

“Pregnant women and young children are particularly at risk, with mercury exposure potentially causing birth defects and cognitive impairments,” Ms. Beata Awinpoka Akanyani CONIWAS Chairperson stated at the just-ended MOLEXXXV conference.

The CONIWAS Chairperson stressed that contamination contributes to waterborne diseases, skin ailments, and respiratory conditions.

Ms. Awinpoka Akanyani stated: “Also, the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) reports that pollution from Galamsey has drastically increased water treatment costs, disproportionately affecting the poor and vulnerable, which is a worrying situation for us as a sector.

“We are joining many CSOs and Ghanaians to call on the government to take action. CONIWAS will therefore release a press statement to clearly state our position and call for action by the government, traditional authorities, the media, and all Ghanaians to protect our freshwater bodies, improve the quality supply of potable water, and conserve our natural resources.”

The conference was organised by CONIWAS with support from the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources.

The conference held at Ho, Volta Regional Capital, from October 6th to October 11th was on the general theme, “Looking Back on SDG 6 Implementation in Ghana: Progress, Challenges, and Ways Forward."

The four main thematic sub-themes were institutional alignments and policies, approaches, strategies, and methods towards the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6) in Ghana.

The Child Sanitation Diplomat, Master Abdul Yazid Faraj Timtoni Wumbei, represented the children of Ghana and paid a working visit to some basic schools in Ho.

Ms. Lydia Seyram Alhassan, Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, who opened the conference also opened a WASH Sector stakeholders’ exhibition by CONIWAS, the GAMA/GKMA Sanitation and Water Project, World Vision Ghana, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, WaterAid, Plan International Ghana, the Bio-Digester Construction Centre, Catholic Relief Services, and Sewerage Systems Ghana Limited.

The exhibition offered stakeholders, including organisations, resource centres, service providers, and manufacturers, the opportunity to exhibit their products and engage participants during the conference.

The MOLEXXXV Conference ended with a renewed commitment in Ghana’s WASH sector to Sustainable Development Goal 6. It also outlined bold and collective actions for sustainable and equitable WASH service delivery.

It adopted a set of recommendations for monitoring Ghana’s commitments to provide WASH services to everyone everywhere and is committed to keeping the government and stakeholders on track to accelerate sustainable WASH service delivery and meet the SDG targets for WASH.

As part of the conference, 12 institutions, including the GAMA/GKMA Sanitation and Water Project, IRC Ghana, and World Vision Ghana, were honoured.

GAMA/GKMA SWP was honoured with a headline sponsorship award; IRC Ghana and World Vision Ghana were decorated with silver sponsorship awards, respectively.

Other institutions are UNICEF as headline sponsor; SNV and Plan International Ghana as platinum sponsors; Global Communities, WaterAid Ghana, Ghana Water Limited, and Zoomlion Ghana Limited as gold sponsors; while Catholic Relief Services was also decorated with the silver sponsor award.

The bronze sponsorship award went to PATH, while the Media Coalition Against Open Defecation (M-CODe), Ghana WASH Journalists Network, and GBC News were acknowledged for their commitment to the WASH sector with enhanced news publications through various media platforms.

Key speakers included the Chairperson of CONIWAS, Ms. Beata Awinpoka Akanyani; Professor Simon Adinkra Mariwah of the University of Cape Coast; Ing. Harold Esseku, Senior Water and Sanitation Specialist at the World Bank Ghana office; and Mr. Matias Thuborg Madsen, Embassy of Denmark.

Others are Mr. Kwaku Quansah of the Ministry of Sanitation and Mrs. Vida Duti, IRC Ghana Country Director.

The conference was sponsored by GAMA/GKMA Sanitation and Water Project, IRC Ghana, World Vision Ghana, and CONIWAS.

The rest are UNICEF, Ghana Water Company, Global Communities, USAID, Plan International, the World Bank, PATH, SNV, Catholic Relief Services SAHA, Zoomlion Ghana, and Community Water and Sanitation Agency.

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