The heavy pollution of water bodies is making it too expensive for the Ghana Water Company Limited to operate water treatment plants in many mining communities. The company requires a substantial amount of money to dredge and clean the pollution; money, the administrators say the government doesn’t have.
In Obuasi, the corporation said it has stopped water treatment activities because of the high cost involved, leaving the community without access to potable water. “If you see the pollution, you will not encourage illegal mining. Some farmers now depend on sachet water because the rivers are all polluted,” an official of the company said.
At a typical galamsey site, able-bodied youth mostly men turn up muddy soil while the women collect water for the washing of retrieved gold. Tasks are distributed according to gender. In addition to those doing the real mining, there are, in some cases, armed young men who provide security while the mining is done.
http://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2014/01/04/illegal-mining-how-ghanas-forgotten-scourge-a-nation-for-gold/
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