Very soon the only clean water we will have in Ghana will be the Volta River- Kwame Jantuah on Galamsey

CPP member and governance expert Kwame Jantuah has issued a stark warning about the worsening state of Ghana’s water bodies, stating that “very soon the only clean water we will have in Ghana will be the Volta River.”

His comment comes in response to growing concerns about illegal mining (galamsey), which continues to ravage major rivers across the country. According to Jantuah, despite years of pledges and interventions, the pollution of rivers such as the Pra, Ankobra and Offin has intensified, posing a grave threat to public health, agriculture and the nation’s long-term water security.

Jantuah’s remarks followed news that the President has extended the tenure of Inspector-General of Police John Y. Yohonu, citing the country’s porous security situation, especially around galamsey-prone areas.

He questioned the wisdom of the extension, arguing that if the security system remains weak and compromised, merely prolonging the tenure of the police leadership will not make any meaningful difference. He stressed that illegal mining continues to thrive largely because of inadequate enforcement, corruption among some local authorities, and a failure to dismantle the networks that protect the operators.

He called for a decisive, coordinated and corruption-free security response to galamsey, involving the police, military, local assemblies and environmental agencies. Jantuah emphasized that Ghana is nearing an irreversible environmental crisis, and leadership must prioritize safeguarding the nation’s water resources over political or institutional convenience.

He maintained that unless strong, transparent and accountable measures are taken immediately, the country will face a future where safe drinking water is scarce and generations will pay the price for today’s inaction.