News
Surge in cost of water treatment …due to ‘galamsey’ activities
Amidu Musah
The cost of water treatment and production has shot up lately due to the impact of ‘galamsey’ activities on Ghana’s water bodies, the Tema Regional Chief Manager of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Amidu Musah, has hinted.
According to him, the cost of chemicals for treating water has gone up because the GWCL is forced to use more expensive and potent chemicals like Polymer instead of Alum to treat the raw water.
This, he said, was as a result of the impact of illegal mining activities around the water bodies.
The activities of these ‘galamseyers’, he noted have become rampant and was of the view that if nothing was done about it, water would soon become a very expensive commodity.
MrMusah made the disclosure last Friday in Tema on the observation of World Water Day.
The event was held in Tema by the Tema Regional Office for the GWCL, having in attendance school children who were schooled on the need to preserve the country’s water bodies.
It was under the theme ‘leveraging water for peace’.
Addressing the participants at the event, MrMusah, admitted that ‘galamsey’ and sand winning operations have negatively have an impact on freshwater resources.
“The final consumer, which includes you and me as well as our industry, is ultimately affected by the activities of these miners because it has consequences on our health and finances,” he disclosed.
According to him, it was important for the respective bodies to come out with pragmatic and collaborative measures, and actions on a variety of fronts to maintain or improve the quality of water from the sources.
“The purpose of World Water Day is to inspire action. We are all now accountable for this. On this day, let us all promise to contribute to the solution. Let’s raise awareness on the value of water conservation among ourselves and others,” he said.
The Regional Chief Manager called for support to assist groups devoted to sustainable water management by using the power of collaboration of everyone to help improve the situation.
He also called for a more responsible use of water for both domestic and commercial activities and prompt payment of water bills to help the GWCL to continue to serve their clients, noting that life will definitely be more difficult if the public cannot get access to potable water in the home.
Sharing her thoughts about the event, a 16-year-old pupil, Edem Caroline Gorvina expressed worry about the health and future of Ghanaian children because in her view, there appears to be no end in sight for the destruction of the country’s water bodies through ‘galamsey’ activities.
The young pupil who is the Girls’ Prefect of the Republic Road Junior High School (JHS) said she was convinced that much work has not been done to protect the water bodies in the various communities where ‘galamsey’ is prevalent.
“We must stop them from destroying our water bodies,” she said without mincing words as she expressed fear that the country might soon find itself in a situation where there would not be safe water for the citizenry.
The final year student said it was worrying that there was a lot of information on the illegal activities of miners but very little was being done to curb the practice.
“Seriously, I feel we are losing the war on ‘galamsey’, that is, if we have not lost already. It appears we have become helpless and have given up on these people endangering our future,” she added.
The event brought together pupils from some schools from the Tema Metropolis namely the Pentecost School, Mante-Din School and the Republic Road School.
From Dzifa Tetteh Tay, Tema
A woman who is accused of bolting with ‘susu’ money totaling GH₵156,445 has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
Martha Nana Esi Afful was alleged to have collected the money from 35 complainants.
Charged with 35 counts of fraudulent breach of trust, Martha, who was earlier remanded, pleaded not guilty.
The court, presided over by Mr Joseph Y. Kuunsong on Wednesday, admitted the accused person to a GH₵200,000 bail with two sureties.
One of the sureties, the court said, must be a public servant earning not less than GH₵5,000.
She is expected to reappear on August 12, 2026.
The Prosecution’s case before the court is that the complainants are traders and residents at La in Accra.
Prosecution described Martha as a ‘Susu’ collector, who resided at Burma Camp.
The court heard that the accused person run a business with the name ‘ZOE’ and she deceived the 35 complainants into believing that she collected ‘Susu’ daily, which was kept for a period of one-three years, and paid interest on the money invested.
The complainants contributed in 2023 for a three-year period, prosecution said.
In December 2025, when the complainants went to take their money with interest, Martha went into hiding and only took phone calls from a few complainants.
Prosecution said the accused provided a MTN Momo number through which a few of the complainants still paid monies.
It said all efforts made to collect the money, totaling GH₵156,445 from her, proved futile.
On June 14, 2026, a report was made to the police and Martha was picked up at a washing bay at Tse Addo.
During interrogation, she admitted the offence in her caution statement, saying she lost her husband and relocated to Swedru in the Central Region, hence the complainants were unable to reach her from December 2025 till date.
Prosecution said Martha further stated that she had invested the monies into refuse collection business and she needed time to pay the amount.
Police are investigating the claims. –GNA
A Public Health Nurse at the Roman Ridge Sub-Municipal of the Ayawaso West Health Directorate, Ms Patience Adoli Kporxah, has cautioned the public against coming into contact with floodwaters, warning that exposure can lead to serious diseases, infections and injuries.
Floodwater, she said, should always be treated as contaminated, regardless of how clean it appears, because it may contain sewage, human and animal waste, chemicals, fuel, sharp objects and disease-causing micro-organisms.
In an interview with The Spectator in Accra on Thursday, Ms Kporxah explained that contact with contaminated floodwater exposes people to bacteria, viruses, parasites, hazardous chemicals and other physical hazards that can result in illness or injury.
Her advice came in the wake of recent exposure to floodwater following Monday’s torrential rains that left vast areas of the capital flooded.
As a result, a lot of people were seen either ‘swimming’ in the floodwater to rescue people or retrieving items being washed away.
According to her, exposure to floodwater could cause skin infections, particularly where there are cuts or open wounds, as well as diarrhoea diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery and other forms of gastroenteritis if contaminated water was swallowed.
Other health risks, she said include hepatitis A, eye and ear infections, tetanus in people with untreated wounds or incomplete vaccination, and injuries from submerged sharp objects, debris or electrical hazards.
Ms Kporxah advised anyone who had contact with floodwater to monitor their health closely and seek immediate medical attention if they develop symptoms such as fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, severe headache, muscle aches, skin rash, difficulty breathing, or yellowing of the eyes or skin.
She also urged people whose wounds became red, swollen, painful or begin to discharge pus, as well as those who accidentally swallow floodwater, to report to the nearest health facility without delay.
Although not everyone exposed to floodwater requires immediate treatment, she stressed that pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems, individuals living with chronic illnesses and those with significant wounds should seek prompt medical evaluation.
On water safety, Ms Kporxah cautioned that rainwater was not automatically safe for drinking or cooking, especially during or after flooding. She explained that rainwater collected from roofs, gutters or open containers could be contaminated by bird and animal droppings, dust, leaves, bacteria, viruses, parasites and chemical pollutants.
She advised that rainwater intended for drinking should first be treated by boiling, chlorination or another approved water purification method before use.
Touching on food safety, Ms Kporxah said factory-sealed bottled drinks and canned foods with intact packaging might still be safe after flooding.
However, she stressed that any containers submerged in floodwater should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before handling. Foods in paper packaging, damaged containers or products with broken seals should be discarded because contaminated water may have seeped into them.
She further warned that flooding increases the risk of outbreaks of cholera, typhoid fever and other waterborne diseases through contaminated water sources.
In addition, she said flooding could contribute to respiratory illnesses in overcrowded shelters and mould-infested buildings, foodborne illnesses from spoiled or contaminated food, and mental health conditions such as anxiety, stress, depression and trauma.
It could also disrupt access to medicines and healthcare for people living with chronic conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, asthma and kidney disease.
Ms Kporxah therefore urged the public to practice good hygiene, avoid unnecessary contact with floodwater, consume only safe food and drinking water, and seek medical attention promptly whenever symptoms develop.
She said observing these preventive measures would help minimise the risk of disease outbreaks and protect lives as the country continues to experience heavy rains and flooding in some communities.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
