Coordinator of Eco-Conscious Citizens, Awula Serwah, says that Ghanaians should accept the proposed 280 per cent water tariff increases by the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) if that is what will make citizens take the impact of illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, seriously.

Speaking on Prime Insight on Joy Prime on Saturday, September 13, she said that many citizens have failed to take the galamsey crisis seriously, even though it has poisoned most of the country’s water bodies.

“For me, this is very good, because if this is the only thing that will make Ghanaians sit up, then so be it. We are not sitting up on 60% of our water bodies being poisoned because some people think it doesn’t affect them. That’s a very selfish way of looking at things,” she said.

She noted that while issues such as rising kidney diseases linked to polluted water are often ignored, many only react when their pockets are directly affected.

“The only thing we seem to care about is the tariffs that are affecting us directly. We don’t seem to realise that even this water we are about to drink, do we actually know what we are drinking? Whether it’s clear or not does not mean there are no toxins,” she said.

She insisted that anything that forces Ghanaians out of complacency is necessary, even if it means steep increases in water bills.

“Anything that will get us out of our complacency and make us sit up and say ‘I don’t want to be poisoned,’ so be it. Let them raise the tariffs 300%.

"If that is what will make Ghanaians sit up that there’s a cost to illegal mining, then so be it. Let us pay 500% if that will jolt us into sitting up and saying this cancer must be stopped,” she said.

Awula Serwah further called for a pause on small-scale mining to allow for a proper clean-up and stronger enforcement. She said that without enforcement, education alone would make little difference.

“...Let’s have a pause in this small-scale mining until we can clean up the place and be ready to enforce. The best form of education is enforcement.

"There’s no point telling people ‘don’t do this’ if you’re not prepared to enforce. Education is in vain,” she added.

Read also: GWCL seeks 280% water tariff hike, blames galamsey for rising costs