Galamsey activities causing environmental degradation in Bole District

February 03, 2010
Bole (N/R), Feb 3, GNA - The Bole District Chief Executive (DCE), Alhaji Sampson, has called on the people of Tinga to be mindful of their activities in the galamsey operational areas at Kui, and to find ways of protecting the environment for future generations.

Alhaji Sampson remarked that the galamsey activities which greatly caused environmental degradation were certainly having adverse effects to human life in the area.

The DCE made these remarks at Tinga near Bole to mark this year's Home Coming Summit of the Chief and people of the Tinga traditional area in the Northern Region at the weekend.

He expressed concern about the low revenue generation in the area despite the galamsey operations, and called on the Chief of Tinga who is also a Government appointee to the Bole District Assembly, to collaborate with the Assembly in revenue collection so as to bring more developmental projects to the area.

In a welcome address, the Chief of Tinga, Chief Alhassan Amankwa I, outlined the challenges he encountered for the past two years as a ruler, and called on the DCE to come to the aid of his people by solving the acute water problem in the area, extending electricity to Tinga, and renovating as well as upgrading the Tinga Health Centre to the status of a Clinic.

Chief Amankwa said the Health Centre had not had any major rehabilitation work since its establishment in 1972, and called on the Ghana Health Service and other stakeholders to come to their aid.

The Bolewura, Chief Amankwa Gbgadesey, also appealed to the DCE to consider the plight of the people of Tinga and to come to their assistance.

Chief Amankwa expressed his gratitude to Madam Rahatu Kadiri, a health worker at the local Health Centre, who for the past 12 years had worked hard to improve health services delivery in the area despite the numerous challenges she encountered at the Centre.

Mr James Jaga, Medical Assistant at the Tinga Health Centre, used the occasion to appeal to the DCE for a mass spraying exercise periodically to control the blackflies known to cause river blindness, which are becoming a nuisance to the people of Tinga.

Chief Amankwa I later awarded hard working personalities who had contributed in diverse ways to the development of the area.

He also donated a double-deck standing fridge and a generator to the Tinga Health Centre.

GNA