Save River Birim!

Obviously, it is the result of mud and other more dangerous substances thrown into the river by small scale miners, popularly known as 'galamsey' in this country.

Apart from being a river providing water and fish, the Birim is a national heritage site. It is the one source of water that has sustained the various Akyem communities all these years.

The popular accolade of the people is 'Akyemkwaa Onom Birim '(The son or daughter of an Akyem who drinks from the Birim River). The river provides one of the richest sources of mineral wealth in the country.

At Akwatia, Kade, Oda and other places along the river, the basins of the Birim River harbours one of the richest deposits of diamonds in the country. At Oda, for instance, people used to go on a treasure hunt after a rainfall, when the river recedes after overflowing its banks.

The Birim basin also harbours rich deposits of gold. Unfortunately, it is these resources that the river bank is endowed with that are its undoing. Small scale miners have invaded the river basin in their numbers, and doing brisk business at the expense of the health of the people who depend on the river as a source of safe drinking water, as well as for household use.

In some cases, the flow of the river is diverted to mining sites by these galamsey operators, and used to pan their mineral finds.

Various calls from Okyenhene Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori-Panin, opinion leaders of the area and national environmentalists, for the authorities to get rid of these small scale miners, have proved futile over the years.

The miners are prepared to commit murder in order to safeguard their activities. It means that only the state can bring them to order. The Chronicle is asking the authorities to act fast.

The fact that a few people want to live off the riches of the Birim basin does not mean that the state should abrogate its responsibilities as guardians of our natural resources, and allow these galamsey operators to bring calamity on the heads of all of us.

The government has to act, and it should be very fast. The time has come to call time on these small scale operators, at least, along the banks of River Birim. The Chronicle is asking the authorities to get soldiers from the Jungle Warfare School at Akyim Achiase to patrol the Brim Basin.

Galamsey operators in the Birim Basin should be dealt with seriously. We have got to get them out. And the only way possible is for the state to arrest them and prosecute them. When a number of these criminals are given stiff sentences, it would inform others to put a stop to the illegal mining of the area.

Birim is one of the most important rivers in the country. It feeds the Pra River, which serves a very wide area, stretching from the Eastern Region, through the Central Region, and to the Western Region.

Apart from throwing mud into the river, these galamsey operators use cyanide, mercury and other dangerous chemicals, which are very injurious to the health of the people. We cannot continue to sacrifice the health of the people on the altar of the riches of a few irresponsible Ghanaians.

We have got to a stage in the life of this nation when the state ought to lead in uprooting the culture of impunity undermining our efforts at reconstructing the nation. River Birim ought to be saved. It is a crusade that must be carried out.