PURC urges chiefs to help fight galamsey polluting water bodies

Dr Shafic Suleman, Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), has called upon traditional leaders in Kyebi to take immediate action against illegal mining operations that contaminate water sources and endanger the availability of clean drinking water. He highlighted that illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, in proximity to water catchment areas is degrading the environment and compromising the quality of water meant for treatment and distribution to local residents.

Dr Suleman's appeal came during a media briefing in Koforidua, following a tour of utility facilities in the Eastern Region, encompassing the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), and the Kyebi Water Treatment Plant. He elaborated that the plant's primary intake, a mountain spring situated approximately seven kilometers away from active galamsey sites, has been severely polluted, leading to elevated turbidity and iron concentrations that overwhelmed the treatment system.

To resolve this issue, Dr Suleman emphasized the necessity of a collective response, emphasizing the role of community involvement and the commitment of traditional leaders to safeguard water resources from further deterioration. Regarding electricity supply, Dr Suleman noted that power fluctuations, particularly during peak hours between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM, disrupted water treatment and distribution in Koforidua and Kyebi.

The Commission had engaged ECG management to prioritize power supply management in the Eastern Region during these peak hours to enhance operational stability. Dr Suleman also detailed regulatory steps taken to tackle electricity distribution issues in parts of the region. He mentioned that persistent low-voltage problems in Akim Oda, attributed to overloaded transformers and deteriorating distribution lines, prompted PURC, through the Energy Commission, to intervene, benefiting around 8,000 electricity consumers.

Additionally, he disclosed that PURC and ECG had replaced and upgraded overloaded and faulty transformers in seven communities, including Asenanu, Asaman-Tamfoe, and Asamankese, to meet the growing electricity demand. In summarizing the Commission's performance over the past year, Dr Suleman stated that it had received around 1,330 complaints from consumers in the region, with 1,303 successfully resolved.

Most complaints pertained to service delivery issues, such as erratic electricity supply, low voltage, billing discrepancies, and metering problems.