Bawku West District frowns on illegal mining

As part of efforts to save the environment, the Bawku West District Assembly has put in place stringent measures to crackdown on illegal miners.

The miners have destroyed about ten communities, rendering most of the people helpless, as well as denying them access to their farms due to the degradation by the miners.

Among the communities affected are Widnaba, Sapeliga and Zongoiri.

Activities of the illegal miners have become a threat to the inhabitants and their animals in these communities.

This came up at the first ordinary meeting of the 20thsession of the Bawku West District Assembly held at Zebilla.

Mr Simon Ayande Agbango, District Chief Executive of the area affirmed the assembly’s commitment to fighting illegal mining to a logical conclusion and save the environment.

He noted that the assembly had embarked on many development projects, including water and sanitation projects, adding that, the collection of internally generated revenue is now regular.

Mr Abgango said the assembly has constructed a number of educational infrastructure in some communities, which include a 2-unit classroom block at Birungu, 3-unit classroom block with ancillary facility at Salpiiga, 3-unit classroom block at Azanga and a 3-unit classroom block at Kusanaba.

He mentioned that the assembly has collaborated with some development partners including the Sustainable Rural Water and Sanitation project to assist in improving on the water and sanitation situation in the area by providing 30 boreholes for portable drinking water.

The DCE said the assembly has made some efforts to improve on its internally generated funds through investments, which would widen the revenue base and reduce it’s over dependence on the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF).

He said the assembly has procured a grader, tipper truck, tractor,and built a guest house to achieve the objective.

The DCE said the assembly in the year under review took steps to improve on the lives of people living with disabilities by constructing a rehabilitation center for them.

He called on the assembly members to support his administration to achieve the intended plans and policies to bring development to the area.

The Presiding Member of the Assembly, Mr Moses Aduk-Pam called on the Metropolitan Municipal and Districts Assemblies (MMDA’s) to update and gazette their environmental bye-laws to conform to the current issues such as cholera and Ebola in Ghana and the West African sub region.

He urged the people to develop a new way of disposing their corpses, since handling dead bodies with bare hands could be very contagious.