The Deputy Director of A Rocha Ghana, Daryl Bosu, says Ghanaians must accept responsibility for the looming hike in water tariffs, stressing that the situation is a direct consequence of the country’s collective failure to stop illegal mining, locally known as galamsey.

His comments follow a request by the Ghana Water Limited (GWL) to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) for a 280 per cent increment in tariffs, citing escalating costs of water treatment due to widespread pollution caused by galamsey.

Speaking in an interview on Joy FM's Midday news on Wednesday, September 10, Mr Bosu explained that while the proposed increment may burden consumers, the reality is that the State’s inability to clamp down on galamsey has left the water company with no option but to pass the cost of treatment onto the consumer.

“Whether we like it or not, if the regulator or the service provider decides to increase tariffs in order to provide good quality water, then they will have to do that, considering the root cause of the problem is galamsey, which we have known all along. And when you talk about galamsey, we all agree that the state is failing the citizens,” he noted.

According to him, even if the government were to absorb the cost of treatment, it would still eventually be transferred back to citizens.

"So either way, we might have to take this cost. It is a punch that is meant for all of us. Whether we like it or not, we must take it because all of us have been culpable and have watched as galamsey has destroyed our lands and polluted our rivers. That is why the water companies are struggling.

 "So, I think that we all have to bear the brunt for sitting idle and watching for these things [galamsey] to escalate," he added.

Mr Bosu emphasised that the current hardship is a reminder of the urgent need for both government and citizens to act decisively against illegal mining.