Illegal mining activities along the Black Volta, a major river in Ghana threatens livelihood of families and Bui power dam operations.
A report by Fact Check Ghana indicates that the river that is a transnational river system flowing through Ghana, Burkina Faso and Cote d’Iviore and into the white Volta is challenged with unregulated mining activities which has led to a reduction in fish population and is currently posing as a threat to access to potable drinking water within communities that depend on the river.
The District Chief Executive of Bole, a town in the Savannah Region, Madam Heming claims efforts to halt illegal mining activities have failed because some people in authority are involved.
“Chiefs, the Assembly man and even some colleagues are participating in these illegal mining activities. Even when they have meetings, they try to keep it secret so you don’t know who is involved. Where do we go from here? I can tell you that in ten years’ time, we will be in trouble” she bemoans
These activities has gravely affected livelihoods who used to make decent earnings from the river. People like Osman Alidu, a 25 year old accounting graduate and tricycle operator who relies on fetching water and distributing in his community to pay his bills and support his family; and Rose Morklah, a 45-year-old mother of five who works as a washer also dependent on the river, are at the verge of losing their jobs in this period of economic hardship.
According to Rosemary, It started when some Chinese Nationals promiser her community access to Potable water, only to earn their trust and pave way for them to carry on with their illegal mining activities.
Research suggests that since mining begun on the black volta the communities slong the river have never benefited from it in anyway. The question now is, who are the beneficiaries of these gold mines?
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Source: TheFourthEstate
