Eco-conscious citizens are calling for the arrest of the Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, following his recent comment concerning the pollution of water bodies as a result of illegal mining, commonly known as “galamsey”.
During an emergency parliamentary sitting on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, Mr Annoh-Dompreh asserted that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had caused more environmental damage through galamsey activities than the NPP.
The lawmaker was convinced an investigation would reveal that the NDC caused more water pollution during their tenure.
According to the Coordinator for the Eco-Conscious Citizens, Awula Serwaa, the MP’s comment is an “admission of guilt” and should lead to immediate accountability.
“I have a view that they (duty bearer) just don’t care. If you saw the recent ‘going ons’ in parliament where an MP will behave like a kindergarten child and be talking about who has poisoned the water more than the other. This is an admission of guilt, and he should be arrested because you are saying that you have not poisoned as much as NDC has.
“This is not a competition. The house is on fire. We face an existential threat. We should be solving the problem. We can solve it today if the political will is there.
“Unfortunately, the political will isn’t there and we the people who have a constitutional duty to protect and safeguard the environment have to take action now before we reach the point of no return.”
Conversations on galamsey and its dire impact arose after the management of Ghana Water Limited (GWL) announced severe water supply challenges in Cape Coast, Elmina, and surrounding communities due to galamsey activities in the Pra River.
In a press statement signed and issued by the Central Regional Office of GWL on Friday, August 30, it explained that water sources have been polluted beyond reasoning limits, affecting processing and distribution for domestic and industrial use.
It further mentioned that the Sekyere Hemang Water Treatment Plantplant is producing only 7,500m³/day, a quarter of its capacity, causing severe inconvenience to customers.