The Sissili Sub-Basin, nestled within Ghana’s White Volta Basin, is rich in mineral resources—an endowment that should bring prosperity. However, the unregulated rush to exploit these underground treasures, often through illegal mining activities known locally as galamsey, is unleashing serious environmental destruction.
This growing menace has raised concerns among key stakeholders, particularly the Water Resources Commission (WRC), which has warned that galamsey is spreading rapidly across various parts of the sub-basin, contaminating water sources, degrading ecosystems, and threatening livelihoods dependent on these natural resources.
Jesse Kazapoe, Head of the White Volta Basin at the WRC, outlined the extent of the threat during an exclusive interview with A1 Radio’s Mark Smith on the sidelines of a Sissili Sub-Basin Committee review meeting.
He explained that illegal mining has taken root in several communities—from the Ghana–Burkina Faso border near Banu in the Upper West Region, to Kayoro in the Kassena Nankana area, and as far as Wiaga and Kadema. Even across the Sissili River into the North East Region, similar destructive activities continue unabated.
“Almost everywhere in the sub-basin has some level of gold mineralization that people want to exploit for personal gain,” Mr. Kazapoe said. “That is why it is crucial to manage these resources carefully so that the actions of these miners do not compromise the quality and sustainability of our water sources.”
The cumulative impact of these activities is significant: polluted rivers and streams, disruption of aquatic ecosystems, destruction of vegetation, and the loss of arable land.
The Sissili Sub-Basin, which spans parts of the Upper West, Upper East, and North East Regions, plays a vital role in supporting local agriculture, domestic water supply, and biodiversity. Its degradation poses a serious threat to both human and environmental well-being.
The White Volta Basin, of which the Sissili Sub-Basin is a part, is one of Ghana’s major river basins, serving millions of people across northern Ghana. It provides essential water resources for farming, drinking, and industry, particularly in regions prone to seasonal water scarcity.
The basin also extends into Burkina Faso, making its management a transboundary concern. Any contamination or depletion of its water systems has ripple effects beyond national borders.
Established by Act 522 in 1996, the Water Resources Commission is the lead agency mandated to regulate and manage Ghana’s water resources. It promotes sustainable water use, coordinates basin-level interventions, and works through decentralized sub-basin committees—such as the one in Sissili—to ensure local involvement and shared responsibility in protecting water bodies. Through stakeholder engagement and scientific modeling, the WRC provides data-driven projections to inform long-term planning and interventions.
Part of the recent Sissili Sub-Basin review meeting was aimed at updating stakeholders on the severity of the environmental threats and urging collective action to strengthen enforcement against illegal mining and adopt sustainable resource management practices.
“For efficient management of water resources in the catchment area, it’s essential to have a clear, actionable plan,” Mr. Kazapoe said. “Over the past two years, we’ve been developing this plan through stakeholder engagements, field data collection, secondary data analysis, and predictive modeling. These models are now helping us understand the current situation and anticipate future scenarios so we can respond effectively.”
The WRC and its partners emphasized the urgency of safeguarding the Sissili Sub-Basin before the damage becomes irreversible, warning that without swift, coordinated intervention, the region could face long-term ecological and economic consequences.
Source: A1Radioonline.com | 101.1MHz | Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith | Bolgatanga
