A photo of a galamsey-polluted river
A former Member of Parliament for Anyaa Sowutuom, Dr Dickson Adomako Kissi, has suggested that the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) should shoulder the cost of water treatment rather than passing the burden onto consumers.
His comments come in response to Ghana Water Limited’s (GWL) proposal for a 28% tariff adjustment, which would raise charges from GH¢5.28 per cubic metre to GH¢20.09.
The utility provider justified the request by citing growing debts, rising operational expenses, and the high cost of treating polluted water, largely attributed to illegal mining activities also known as galamsey.
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Kissi said the gold sector is a direct beneficiary of both legal and illegal mining, which has severely degraded water bodies.
“Why must Ghanaians pay for the treatment of water? The GoldBod has made significant revenue, and part of that should go into repairing the damage caused to our water facilities,” he said as quoted by myjoyonline.com.
The former MP stressed that ordinary consumers should not be penalised for problems they did not create.
“It is unfair for the Ghana Water Company to transfer this burden to us. As things stand, all the gold — whether mined legally or illegally — ends up with GoldBod. They, not ordinary Ghanaians, should pay for the damages,” he added.
GWL, however, maintains that its proposed tariff hike is also influenced by exchange rate pressures, as well as the rising cost of imported equipment and treatment chemicals.
SSD/SA
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