WACAM Releases Damning Report On Mining Companies

By William Yaw Owusu

Wednesday September 9, 2009
Most water bodies in communities around Obuasi and Tarkwa are heavily polluted due to activities of mining companies, making it dangerous for use by inhabitants.

Chemical seepages, cyanide spillages and feacal pollution have become widespread compelling the Wassa Association of Communities Affected by Mining (WACAM) to issue an early warning, urging the government to check activities of mining companies and other galamsey operators to prevent a possible calamity.

The warning was given at the launch of a report “to determine heavy metals in water bodies” in the Obuasi and Tarkwa mining areas.

The research was undertaken by Samuel Obiri of the Centre for Environmental Impact Analysis under the auspices of WACAM with sponsorship from Oxfam America.

Explaining his findings, Mr. Obiri said the pollutants in the water bodies in the affected communities are far above the permissible levels of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Ghana.

He said the exposure of the people to high levels of neurotoxins like manganese, lead and mercury is posing what he calls “significant health hazards”.

He also said exposure to elevated levels of heavy metals and low acidity and acaline of some water samples in the affected areas is likely to further decrease the life expectancy figures of residents.

Daniel Owusu-Koranteng, Executive Director of WACAM bemoaned what he called “huge gaps in the mining laws which are making these multinational companies destroy the environment with impunity”.

He said for instance that in Obuasi mining area alone 145 out of 160 streams and rivers listed were to some extent polluted while in the Tarkwa area all 117 rivers and streams were perceived to be polluted.

“ Community perception of their rivers is important because it determines the use to which the communities put their rivers, the benefits they derive from water resources and the efforts they make in protecting their water resources”.

He said for example that “River Nyam which serves most communities around Obuasi has arsenic concentration of 1,356 times higher than the WHO and EPA requirements of 13.56 and.”

“This report is a wake-up call for the government to act quickly against these mining companies and other illegal galamsey operations which are fast impoverishing the people and impeding the effort for sustainable development.”

The Oxfam America representative for West Africa, Ibrahima Aidara said the sub-region has been a target of mining activities and asked the various governments to compel them to comply with human rights and sustainable development practices.

He said civil society involvement in the discussion of the impact of mining activities should be encouraged to bring about transparency in the mining sector.

The Chairman of the Parliamentary Sub-Committee on Environment, Raymond Tawiah said “mining companies are not treating people in mining communities very well. What they are doing is not acceptable.”

Professor Atta Bretwum of the University of Cape Coast who chaired the launching said “indiscriminate destruction of the environment has gone under the watchful eyes of agencies hat are mandated by law to check them.”