The fight against illegal mining in Ghana may be far from being won but the worry of many has been the brazen destruction of the country’s natural resources, including its water bodies, from the unhindered activities of persons engaged in the trade.
It is now common knowledge that a lot of the country’s water bodies have been affected by galamsey, especially within areas where the illegal trade persists.
In a video shot by documentary producer and YouTuber, Edem Srem, which he took on Sunday, July 9, 2023, it shows the vibrant activities of illegal miners on the river.
The several changfan machines are seen from the bird’s eye view shots in the video, with the activities of the miners also seen in the distance.
The discoloured Black Volta is also captured in the video, with the YouTuber expressing concerns about the continuous destruction of the water body.
“The Black Volta is a tributary to the main Volta Lake/River. It is a major source of water for thousands of Ghanaians who use it for irrigation and for domestic uses. The Bui Hydro Power Dam is situated on the Black Volta.
“The river is under attack from illegal miners known as galamseyers, with their changfan machines gold mining begins right on the water. In an era where the state is fighting water pollution others are destroying the meagre resources left,” the description under his video said.
Several other water bodies in Ghana, including the River Pra, River Ankobra, River Birim, among others, have also been greatly affected by the illegal activities of gold miners in the country.
See the destruction caused to the Black Volta below:
In the meantime, watch the latest episode of #SayItLoud on GhanaWeb TV with Etsey Atisu below:
You can also watch this episode of People & Places here:
Watch the latest episode of Everyday People on GhanaWeb TV below:
