Collapse of GCD

The majority of children of workers of the defunct Ghana Consolidated Diamonds Ltd. have been sacked from school for non-payment of fees. Several of these children who are at senior secondary level were not allowed to take part in the recent promotion examinations for non-payment of fees.

The situation is said to be breaking the moral fibre of the Akwatia community. "Parents are unable to control their children because they are unable to meet their needs. Pre-marital sex is common and if not checked could lead to increase in teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases," a worker told Public Agenda.

About 806 workers of GCD, currently on divestiture have not been paid for the past seven months. This paper learnt that some workers the started selling their personal belongings to survive. Others have also attempted suicide on several occasions.

An affected child, Faustina Anaafi, an SSS 2 student said she and her twin sister were sacked from school because their father could not pay their fees. Amidst tears, she said her twin sister is currently pregnant, while their mother had left the home to seek greener pastures.

"We are the future leaders of Ghana and so we are appealing to government to come to the aid of our fathers to enable them cater for us."

Benedicta Baade, a home economics student had a similar story to tell. She said she was sacked from school because she could neither pay her fees nor partake in practical lessons.

Recently, wives of the distressed workers stormed Nana Akwatiahene's palace to plead with him to intervene to get their husbands salaries paid. They appealed to the chief to urge government to speed up the divestiture of the company. The chief was said to have shed tears when the women presented their case on behalf of their husbands.

The GCD Hospital, a subsidiary of the company established to serve the health care needs of the company's workers, their dependants and the entire community, does not operate effectively as it used to.

This is because hospital staff have not been paid as well. Consequently, health delivery services are being hampered with medical personnel threatening to seek greener pastures.

GCD had historically provided potable drinking water to residents of Akwatia. But currently, one out of the four water pumping machines is said to be functioning as the three have broken down, resulting in intermittent water supply.

The townsfolk said even the water that flows is untreated since the company cannot afford to purchase chemicals for water treatment. This has led to an increase in water borne diseases like cholera and typhoid.

A case study on mining, sustainable development and health on Akwatia in March 2004 revealed that in 2001, diarrhoea disease was the 2nd leading cause of outpatient morbidity in Kwaebiriem District, only behind malaria.

At the same time, diarrhoea was not a significant cause of morbidity at St. Dominic's Hospital in Akwatia, being the 12th ranking cause of outpatient morbidity at the hospital.

The community members and health officials in Akwatia explained that water borne diseases only started decreasing when the people began drinking bottled water at a great cost.