Editorial

THE POLLUTION OF WATER BODIES MUST STOP!

Elsewhere in this edition, we have published a story calling for the criminalisation of water pollution in the country.

A Professor of Agriculture Engineering at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Joshua Nii Owusu Sakyi, advocated that those who pollute water bodies should be prosecuted for engaging in such activities.

According to him, it is time for the nation’s water policies to be enforced at all levels in order to protect the country’s water bodies.

He expressed worry that if nothing was done about water pollution the nation would struggle in future to access potable water.

Prof. Sakyi envisaged that water shortage in the country may result in conflict among the citizenry, if steps were not taken to halt the practice.

“Water quality with regard to the nation’s water bodies had deteriorated as a result of activities of illegal miners thereby making it impossible for some Ghanaians to access potable water.

“We must not allow few disgruntled people to pollute our water bodies and make life unbearable for us,” he said.

The Ghanaian Times shares in the sentiment expressed by the Agricultural Engineering Professor who we believe is speaking the minds of so many worried Ghanaians.

There have been reports across the country of the pollution of water bodies by people who are engaged in various negative activities, particularly ‘galamsey’ and indeed, many communities and their water bodies have been polluted and destroyed.

According to the Water Research Institute (WRI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Ghana has no problem with water sources but indicated that water sources are diminishing at such a fast rate that the country faces looming water crisis by the year 2030.

Furthermore, it said there would be no treatable water sources, either surface or ground water by 2030, should the rate of pollution continue.

We are worried that the laws against pollution are not being enforced and which is encouraging the illegal miners to pollute the water sources indiscriminately.

We call on all stakeholders including security agencies, to, as a matter of urgency take steps to halt the pollution of water bodies.

We also advocate stringent measures against those who pollute the water bodies to serve as a deterrent to others.

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