The Necropolitical Dimensions of Ghana's Water Crisis: How illegal mining affects lives

Captain Kofi Mensah held the controls of his plane tightly, feeling the stress build in his chest. Below him, the city of Accra spread out like a big, busy puzzle. Suddenly, the plane shook, and the engines started to fail.

He knew they were in serious trouble. His co-pilot spoke up, his voice shaky. "Captain, we have two choices. Neither is good.” Kofi listened closely. They could try to land in the crowded city center, which might save some passengers but could hurt many people on the ground. Or they could head for the quieter outskirts, which would likely kill everyone on the plane but keep people below safe. As the plane dropped lower, every second felt like a lifetime.

Kofi's heart raced as he thought about what to do. Who should he try to save? Whose lives are more important? With the city lights getting closer, Captain Mensah faced a choice that no one should ever have to make. In these final moments, he had to decide who lived and who died, a heavy burden for anyone in charge. This harrowing scenario, while fictional, illustrates a real-world concept known as "necropolitics."

Achille Mbembe, a Cameroonian philosopher, introduced this idea to help us understand how governments and powerful groups control who lives and who dies in society. This concept goes beyond just thinking about how states manage life (which is called "biopolitics") and focuses on how they manage death.

Necropolitics looks at how those in power decide whose lives matter and whose don't. This could mean actual killing or creating conditions where certain people are more likely to die or suffer. Mbembe talks about how some places are turned into "death-worlds" which in plain terms refers to areas where people are forced to live in terrible conditions, always close to death.

Examples could include refugee camps or very poor neighborhoods. The concept is closely tied to how racism and the effects of colonialism shape who is seen as disposable in society. But it's not just about direct violence. Necropolitics also includes policies that make life impossible for certain groups, like denying them healthcare or forcing them to live in polluted areas.

Importantly, necropolitics applies to modern democracies like Ghana, not just obvious dictatorships. Even countries that claim to protect all citizens often have systems that put some people at much higher risk of death or suffering. This shows how power over life and death can be exercised in subtle ways, through policies and social structures that may not seem violent on the surface but have deadly consequences for marginalized groups.

By understanding necropolitics, we can better analyze how power operates in society and question systems that we might take for granted. It challenges us to think about how we can create a world where all lives are truly valued equally, rather than some being seen as expendable.

Ghana is facing a serious water crisis, largely due to illegal small-scale mining known as "galamsey.". Recently, US-based mining consultant, Dr. Solomon Owusu revealed that 14 out of the 16 regions in Ghana have been affected by mining. This situation shows a troubling aspect of power dynamics, where the government’s actions and inactions affect who gets to live well and who suffers.

Essentially, the lives of those who are closer to the axis of power are valued more than that of those who are far from the axis of power. In Ghana, this norm is affectionally referred to as the ‘whom you know’ syndrome. In recent times, it has evolved into the term ‘who knows you’. In this context, we see how marginalized communities are facing the choice of either drinking contaminated water or dying out of thirst.

According to the Water Resources Commission, about 60% of Ghana's water bodies are polluted. Rivers that were once clean are now filled with toxins and heavy metals. Also, in a recent report, the Ghana Water Company hinted alarming levels of pollution, with some water sources having turbidity levels as high as 14,000 N vis a vis the WHO’s 5 NTU target.

This pollution mainly impacts rural and underserved communities, creating what Mbembe calls "death-worlds," where people face life-threatening conditions. The government's response has been inconsistent. While officials acknowledge the pollution, their actions often fall short. Despite promises to tackle illegal mining, the problem continues to worsen. This inaction suggests that certain populations are being sacrificed for economic gain tied to illegal mining activities.

Moreover, there seems to be a lack of accountability for those in power. Politicians and officials involved in illegal mining face little to no consequences for their actions. This failure to act allows the cycle of destruction to continue, putting vulnerable communities who survive on major rivers like the Pra, Ankobra, Oti, Offin, Birim just to mention but a few at greater risk.

Experts warn that if this trend continues, Ghana could be forced to import water by 2030. The environmental damage goes beyond just muddy waters; it also includes the destruction of forests and farmland. Reports indicate that illegal mining has harmed 34 out of Ghana's 288 forest reserves, leading to significant loss of land.

Again, this not only threatens local livelihoods but also food security for many families. Health issues are also on the rise due to this crisis. Research shows that pollution from galamsey is linked to serious health problems like kidney failure and birth defects in affected communities.

Those without access to clean water suffer the most, creating a divide between those who can afford safe water and those who cannot. Ghana’s situation is symptomatic of broader patterns seen around the world, where powerful interests often overlook the needs of vulnerable populations.

Just like in other countries where local farmers are displaced for large-scale agricultural projects, Ghana’s water crisis shows how government policies can marginalize those who are already struggling. Mbembe, by way of making up for the ravages of necropolitics suggests the term’ utopia’, which is a community in which people will care for one another based on the principles of ‘burden of care’.

I would end by saying that, like Mbembe, I am also of the view that if citizens as well as and those in power, through the burden of care, would treat one another with empathy while insisting on doing what is in the best interest of the Ghanaian populace, posterity will forever thank us for our solemn sacrifices even as we enjoy the multitude of economic benefits that comes with having clean, accessible and safe drinking water.

The inverse of this however may wreak havoc on the nation. Certainly, when the greedy leads, the needy bleeds.