Residents of Atronsu, a farming community located between Awaso and Sefwi Bekwai in the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai Municipality, are appealing to authorities to urgently intervene to stop illegal mining activities threatening the Atronsu Stream, the community’s only source of drinking water.
According to residents, three excavators have been moved close to the stream by suspected illegal miners, sparking fears of contamination and destruction of the water source.
The development has triggered widespread concern among locals who depend on the stream for domestic use and farming.
Community leaders say they have reported the situation to the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) and the Police, but no concrete action has been taken so far. They added that the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAELP) and other relevant agencies have also been notified through third parties.
“We are pleading with the authorities to act immediately. The Atronsu Stream is our only source of water, and if it is polluted, the entire community will suffer,” one resident said.
The residents warn that failure to act swiftly could lead to irreversible environmental damage and jeopardize the health and livelihoods of the community.
Illegal small-scale mining, locally known as galamsey, has remained a major environmental challenge in Ghana, causing the destruction of farmlands and contamination of major rivers and water bodies across several regions.
Source:www.kumasimail.com
