The Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South, Dr. Kingsley Agyemang, has issued a passionate plea for urgent action to rescue the Birim River, which has been severely polluted by illegal mining activities.
In a statement on Tuesday, the MP described the situation as “a national emergency”, revealing that the Kyebi Water Treatment Plant has remained closed for over three months because the river’s water is too contaminated to treat.
Once the main source of clean water for residents of Kyebi and nearby communities, the Birim River has now turned, in his words, into “a thick sludge of poison” with dangerous turbidity levels reaching 64,000 NTU, far beyond what is safe for human use.
“Thousands of people in my constituency have been without clean water for months. And when water is life, the absence of it means the absence of life,” Dr. Agyemang lamented.
Illegal Mining and Its Ripple Effects
The MP blamed the worsening pollution on illegal small-scale mining (galamsey), which he said is now being driven largely by foreign nationals. He added that these operations have destroyed farmlands, polluted rivers, and increased insecurity and drug use in the area.
Dr. Agyemang warned that galamsey’s impact goes beyond the environment, it also threatens agriculture, cocoa production, education, and public health.
“When our rivers are dead, our farms unproductive, and our schools empty, we lose not just our livelihood but our very future,” he said.
Call for Stronger Law Enforcement
Dr. Agyemang called on all key agencies, including the Police, the Prosecution Service, the Judiciary, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to act decisively and enforce existing laws without compromise.
“The law must bite, and it must bite hard. Those who profit from the destruction of our environment, whether local or foreign, must face the full rigours of the law,” he emphasized.
He praised the Abuakwa South Municipal Assembly and security agencies for their ongoing anti-galamsey operations but urged them to sustain their efforts beyond short-term raids.
“True success will not be measured by press briefings or temporary raids, but by the return of clean water and the revival of our farmlands,” he added.
A Call to Conscience
Dr. Agyemang also appealed to traditional leaders, youth groups, religious bodies, and citizens to stand together in the fight against illegal mining, calling it “a moral fight, not a political one.”
He ended his statement with a heartfelt reminder:
“The Birim River must live again. Without water, there is no life, and without life, there is no future.”
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