GoldBod Commits GH¢8.4 Million to Rehabilitate Water Systems Damaged by Illegal Mining

The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has committed GH¢8.4 million towards the first phase of rehabilitating water treatment systems affected by illegal mining activities in the Western and Central Regions.

The intervention was announced during the signing of a Water Infrastructure Rehabilitation Funding and Implementation Agreement between GoldBod and Ghana Water Limited (GWL).

According to the Chief Executive Officer of GoldBod, Sammy Gyamfi, the support goes beyond the board’s gold trading mandate and forms part of its broader responsibility to promote environmental restoration and sustainability.

He explained that the Ghana Gold Board Act, 2025 (Act 1140) gives the institution additional responsibilities, including supporting reclamation and environmental protection initiatives.

“Parliament, in passing the Ghana Gold Board Act 2025, Act 1140, gave the Gold Board a number of other functions that are complementary to the gold trading mandates,” Mr Gyamfi said.

He noted that Ghana Water Limited had approached GoldBod after illegal mining, sand winning and other human activities caused severe degradation to six major water supply systems.

The affected facilities include Abonsa, Daboase, Skyereheman and Wiemoase, among others, where excessive siltation has affected the ability of the plants to treat safe drinking water.

Mr Gyamfi said GoldBod conducted feasibility studies through its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) officers in collaboration with Ghana Water Limited and confirmed the severity of the damage.

“We indeed confirmed that the siltation levels of water bodies were very extreme,” he stated.

Due to financial limitations, GoldBod will undertake the project in phases, beginning with the rehabilitation of three out of the six affected water systems.

The first phase will focus on the Abunsa, Abwasi and Enyirasi water supply systems.

The CEO stressed that the environmental challenges caused by illegal mining existed before the establishment of GoldBod, adding that the priority is finding solutions rather than assigning blame.

“We are not the ones that created the problem we are talking about, but it’s all about Ghana. It is not about when the problem happens, it is about how we can solve it,” he said.

Scope of rehabilitation works

The GH¢8.4 million project will cover:

• Desilting of affected water systems
• Dredging and sediment removal
• Hydrographic surveys
• Reservoir capacity assessments
• Stabilization of intake infrastructure
• Water quality restoration and monitoring
• Engineering supervision and technical verification

Mr Gyamfi assured that GoldBod would not simply release funds without monitoring the project.

He said the board would assign representatives to supervise the implementation while Ghana Water Limited executes the works with qualified personnel.

“We don’t want to just emit money. We want to ensure that the money is used for the intended purpose,” he added.

Water crisis persisted for nine years – GWL MD

The Managing Director of Ghana Water Limited, Hon. Adam Mutawakilu, disclosed that the high turbidity affecting several water treatment plants in the Central and Western Regions has persisted for more than nine years.

He said the situation had become too extensive for Ghana Water Limited to handle alone, forcing the company to seek support from other institutions.

“The issue of high turbidity has been with us for over nine years now. Ghana Water alone cannot handle the need, so we have to approach other agencies to come to our aid,” he stated.

Mr Mutawakilu praised GoldBod for its swift response after receiving the company’s request.

He explained that technical teams from both institutions visited the affected sites and confirmed the urgent need for intervention.

The GWL boss assured that the company would ensure transparency and accountability in the execution of the GH¢8.4 million project.

“Whatever you are giving us, we are giving you everything that you need. At the end of the day, we will work together to ensure that whatever is outlined in the agreement comes out,” he said.

He added that successful completion of the first phase would create the opportunity for GoldBod to support the rehabilitation of the remaining three water systems.

The affected communities, including Bonsa, Abwasi, Enyirasi and surrounding areas, are expected to benefit from improved access to safe and reliable drinking water once the rehabilitation is completed.

GoldBod says the initiative is part of its commitment under the Ghana Gold Board Act 2025 (Act 1140) to support environmental restoration and sustainable development.