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
Muslims across the country celebrated this year’s Eid-ul-Adha in a colourful and spiritually uplifting atmosphere under the theme, “A Season of Sacrifice, Solidarity and Spiritual Renewal.”
The celebration brought together Muslims from diverse backgrounds in a remarkable display of faith, unity and cultural heritage.
The occasion was marked by special Eid prayers at various designated grounds, the slaughtering of rams in homes for sharing among family members, friends and the less privileged, as well as musical concerts and recreational activities including horse riding.
Leading the celebration was the Chief Imam, Dr Sheikh Osman Sharubutu.
While the national celebration was held at the Black Star Square where President John Dramani Mahama was the Special Guest of Honour, similar gatherings took place at different centres across the capital and other regions of the country.
A visit by The Spectator to some celebration grounds revealed Muslims, both young and old, elegantly dressed in colourful jalabiya and other Islamic attire, reflecting the rich culture and traditions of the Muslim community.
The celebration also portrayed the spirit of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence in the country, as a number of Christians joined their Muslim counterparts to mark the occasion.
Muslim leaders and government officials used the opportunity to call on the faithful to uphold the teachings of the Holy Quran, renew their spiritual commitment and refrain from acts capable of undermining the peace, unity and security of the nation.
They further urged Ghanaians to continue to live in harmony and support one another for national development.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
Dear Obaa Yaa,
During Eid-ul- Adha celebration, I decided to spend the weekend at my boyfriend’s place since we were planning towards our marriage.
To my surprise, what keeps me wide awake, restless and frustrated every single time is that he snores loudly like a generator running on full power, and I genuinely cannot get any rest
At a point, I thought it was just a normal thing, but I have realised it is something he does with ease and doesn’t see anything wrong with it.
When he steps out in the morning, I try to get enough sleep because I may not sleep in the evening.
The most annoying thing is that, he always wants to cuddle me. These two things are a no for me and a red flag.
We are about to get married, what should I do?
Enam, Keta.
Dear Enam,
The snoring and constant cuddling are frustrating, but you don’t have to choose between sleep and closeness.
Start with the snoring: check if it’s worse when he sleeps on his back, cut out alcohol before bed, try nasal strips or a humidifier, and see a doctor if he pauses while breathing.
For quick relief, foam earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones help a lot.
Separate blankets, a bigger bed, or sleeping apart on some nights often makes couples rest well and feel closer overall.
Bring this up before the wedding .Tell him you want to wake up next to him for years to come, but sleep deprivation makes you both miserable.
Test earplugs and side-sleeping this weekend, and if it’s still unbearable, bring in a doctor. Good sleep matters more for your marriage than staying glued together all night.
