Galamsey: TUC warns of imminent water crisis, demands State of emergency
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has warned that Ghana could soon face a nationwide water crisis if the government fails to urgently tackle illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
The country’s largest labour union sounded the alarm after a fact-finding visit to water treatment plants in Kwanyako, Brim, and Akyem in the Central and Eastern Regions, where pollution from galamsey has pushed facilities to the brink of collapse.
TUC Secretary-General, Joshua Ansah, described the situation as “deeply troubling”, revealing that some plants are barely functioning.
“What we saw and heard today is alarming. Some plants have had to install new pumps just to extract a small amount of water. If urgent action is not taken, entire facilities could shut down and water will become scarce across the country,” he cautioned.
Mr. Ansah urged President John Mahama to declare a state of emergency to confront the galamsey menace head-on, warning that the TUC may be forced to take “a drastic decision” if the government fails to act.
“Today has dampened our spirit but strengthened our resolve. We will demand pragmatic measures to end galamsey once and for all. A state of emergency is urgent and necessary,” he stressed.
He added that the TUC leadership will meet after completing its nationwide inspections to decide on the next steps.
“For now, we are issuing a strong caution: galamsey must stop and it must stop now,” Mr. Ansah emphasised.