Sections of the River Offin at Dunkwa-on-offin in the Upper Denkyira West Municipality in the Central Region no longer flow because trenches have been made in the river bed by illegal miners. These trenches now stand as ponds and poodles due to the intense galamsey activities.
The once clear water now looks muddy and stagnant.
The regional National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) is working with a dredging firm to dredge the river bed to restore it to its original flowing state.
Wanton destruction
The Upper Denkyira West and East districts continue to suffer from the wanton destruction of its river and lands by illegal miners.
Near the main Ayanfuri Road, a few metres away, some young men could be seen actively engaged in illegal mining.
Large tracts of farmlands have also been destroyed, leaving behind dangerous pits.
The Central Regional Minister, Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, and some heads of security agencies on Friday toured some illegal mining sites in the two districts to assess the extent of destruction and to seek stakeholder support in the fight against the menace.
Ayanfuri
At one of the galamsey sites at Ayanfuri, Mrs Assan and her team destroyed water tubes used for the illegal activity.
Young men could be seen engaging in galamsey activities and could not be bothered by the minister's convoy.
In her remarks, Mrs Assan said it was a worrying situation that Ghanaians could do such evil to our water bodies, adding that the situation could lead to Ghana importing water in a few years.
"This is a really worrying situation and we need all hands on deck to fight it,” she stated.
Operation halt
Mrs Assan noted that though the "Operation Halt” had been immensely helpful, the fight should continue unabated.
"The work by the military has been very helpful in reducing the menace but it is not over. We have to continue," she stated.
She said the comments by some that excavators should not be burnt would not help the process of fighting illegal mining.
"We don't want the excavators to find their way back into our rivers. We will continue to burn them. The effort to fight the menace should be supported by all,”“ she added.
Meeting chiefs
Earlier, the minister called on the Dunkwa Traditional Council and made a passionate appeal to the chiefs to support the fight if it was to succeed.
She assured them that the region would work in tandem with the national development agenda to bring development in tourism, health and economic activities while ensuring infrastructural development to promote the socio-economic wellbeing of the people of the region.
The acting President of the Denkyira Traditional Council, Daasebre Oduro Akenten II, pledged the support of the chiefs in curbing the menace.
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