The suspicion by Ghanaian environmentalists that chemical spillage could be poisoning the River Ankobra proved to be true at the weekend with the death of 11 people from Tumantu, a village in the Nzema East District of the Western Region. The Western Regional Office of the Environmental Protection Agency confirmed the deaths and explained that they occurred after the victims had drunk water from the river and consumed some fish suspected to have been affected with bacteria or chemicals. They include two children, two women and seven men. Four other persons are on admission at the Simpa Hospital in the Wassa West District. However, the names of the victims could not have been provided. As a result of the tragedy, most of the inhabitants are said to have deserted the village. The 190-km Ankobra River is fed by the Fure, Mansi, Nini and Bonsu rivers on the long course across southern Ghana. Last year, the EPA announced that it was investigating reports of the spillage of sodium cyanide solution by Bogoso Gold Limited into the Apepra Stream, one of the tributaries of the Ankobra near Dumasi in the Wassa West District. A statement issued in Accra by the EPA said the source of the sodium cyanide discharge was traced to a newly constructed tailings storage facility. The statement said a team conducted a survey along a four kilometer stretch of the stream and found that 125 fishes had died. “A number of samples have been taken, including surface water and sediments. The samples collected are currently being analyzed. The results of initial free cyanide assessments conducted indicated elevated concentration above EPA threshold values,” it said, adding that it received information on the spillage from its district office at Tarkwa. The Western Regional Director of the EPA, Ms Irene Heathcote said, “it could be bacteria or chemical infection. She explained that last Saturday when the EPA officers went to the village, 10 people had already died and the 11th person died later on. She explained that last Saturday when the EPA officers were told that some days earlier dead fishes had been found in the River Ankobra, adding that it was learnt the people collected and ate the dead fishes. Source: Daily Graphic