The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has signed an GH¢8.4 million agreement with the Ghana Water Limited (GWL) to rehabilitate three major water supply systems in the Western and Central Regions, reaffirming its commitment to responsible mining and environmental sustainability.
The intervention, which constitutes Phase One of a broader rehabilitation programme, will see the restoration of the Bonsa, Daboase and Sekyere Heman Water Supply Systems, all of which have experienced severe operational challenges due to high turbidity caused by illegal mining activities, sand winning and other environmental factors.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer of GoldBod, Sammy Gyamfi, Esq., disclosed that the Managing Director of the Ghana Water Limited first approached the Board in October 2025 to seek support for the rehabilitation of six water treatment plants that had deteriorated after years of exposure to environmental degradation.
He explained that rather than immediately committing funds, GoldBod constituted a technical assessment team made up of officers from the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Unit under its Responsible Mining and Sustainability Directorate to independently verify the condition of the affected facilities.
According to Mr. Gyamfi, the team’s findings confirmed the urgent need for intervention, leading GoldBod to approve funding for the rehabilitation of three of the six treatment plants as the first phase of the project.
He expressed optimism that successful implementation of the first phase would pave the way for GoldBod to support the rehabilitation of the remaining three facilities at Baifikrom, Kwanyako and Essagyir under a second phase.
Mr. Gyamfi noted that although the challenges facing the treatment plants predated the establishment of GoldBod, the Board considered it imperative to intervene because access to clean water is fundamental to the well-being of Ghanaians.
He explained that the project falls squarely within GoldBod’s statutory function of supporting sustainability initiatives and captured in GoldBod’s ESG policy.
“Coupled with our corporate social responsibility policy, the GoldBod has taken interest in projects that are aimed at restoring our environment and protecting the ecological integrity of our society”, he reiterated.
The GoldBod CEO further explained that, given the significant financial commitment involved, the Board did not simply transfer funds to the Ghana Water Limited. Instead, both institutions entered into a detailed implementation agreement outlining how the funds would be utilised and the responsibilities of each party.
Under the arrangement, while the Ghana Water Limited will execute the rehabilitation works, GoldBod’s technical team will undertake continuous monitoring and evaluation to ensure the project is implemented in accordance with agreed standards and timelines.
He indicated that the outcome of the first phase would inform GoldBod’s decision to finance the second phase of the rehabilitation programme.
Managing Director of the Ghana Water Limited, Mr. Adam Mutawakilu, expressed profound appreciation to GoldBod for what he described as a timely and significant intervention.
According to him, the affected treatment plants have battled high turbidity levels for the past nine years, severely affecting water production and service delivery in the beneficiary communities.
He noted that the financial demands of the rehabilitation project exceeded the internally generated funds of the Ghana Water Limited, making external support indispensable.
Mr. Adam commended GoldBod for adopting a thorough and professional approach by first conducting an independent technical assessment before approving the funding.
He assured GoldBod that the funds would be applied strictly in accordance with the terms of the agreement to ensure the successful completion of the rehabilitation works.
In his closing remarks, Mr. Gyamfi reiterated GoldBod’s commitment to supporting initiatives that improve the lives of Ghanaians while supporting responsible natural resource management.
He described the partnership with the Ghana Water Limited as a demonstration of GoldBod’s broader national development agenda and called on other public and private institutions to support similar interventions that safeguard critical public infrastructure.
The rehabilitation project marks another significant milestone in GoldBod’s environmental stewardship agenda, underscoring the institution’s resolve to complement its efforts in formalising Ghana’s gold sector with strategic investments that address the social and environmental impacts of mining while contributing to sustainable national development.
Source : myxyzonline/Akora Kofi Darko
