All streams and rivers in Wassa West are polluted-EPA

Tarkwa (W/R), July 19, GNA - Mr Michael Sandow Ali, Programme Officer of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), on Thursday said all streams and rivers in the Wassa West District were polluted with faecal coliform, which was the major cause of typhoid fever and cholera in the are. He said the finding was as result of the EPA's monitoring of water bodies as well as the baseline data on streams and rivers by mining companies in the district. Mr Ali said this in an address read on his behalf at a forum on fresh water resource management at Tarkwa.

The forum that was organised by Western Regional Office of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) forum brought together, chiefs, opinion leaders and assemblymen among others in Wassa West District. It was theme: "Fresh Water, Will It Be Available Tomorrow? Think Of Its Protection And Conservation For The Future".

Mr Ali said water for domestic and industrial use should be odourless, colourless, and free from chemical pollution. He said bad farming practices, fishing with chemicals, untreated industrial effluents, inappropriate disposal of liquid and the works of illegal miners accounted for water pollution. Mr Ali said: "to help check the pollution of all fresh water bodies, the EPA had developed water quality guidelines for all sectors of the economy as well as general effluents."

Mr Emmanuel Kwesi Ayensu, Wassa West District Chief Executive said: "A number of research works conducted in Ghana point to the fact that while some major rivers, lagoons and streams are already dead, the rest are sick and will soon be dying." He urged GWCL to organisers the similar forums frequently to educate the public about the importance of fresh water conservation.

Mr John Azuma, Western Regional Chief Manager of GWCL, said the country couldn't look on without taking any preventive or corrective measure to ensure the availability of fresh water resources. He called for effective national policy and institutional framework for fresh water conservation. "Individuals, communities and bodies like the Water Resources Commission should be involved in the national development plan for fresh water conservation," Mr Azuma added. Mr Joseph Amankra, an opinion leader of Bonsa near Tarkwa said river Bonsa has been polluted with effluent discharged into the river by Ghana Manganese Company (GMC) and showed a sample of water from the river to the forum.

Mr Koblah Anane, General Manager of GMC, however, denied the claim and said the sample of water exhibited at the forum had no scientific basis. Meanwhile, he said, GMC was in the process of constructing a containment pond where effluent from the mines would be discharged. Osagyefo Kwamina Enimil VI, the Paramount Chief of Wassa Fiase Traditional Area chaired the function.