The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has signed a GH¢8.4 million agreement with Ghana Water Limited (GWL) to rehabilitate the Bonsa, Daboase and Sekyere Heman Water Supply Systems, extending its environmental restoration portfolio into critical public infrastructure in the Western and Central Regions.
The three systems, all located in communities affected by the operations of illegal mining, have suffered years of diminished output and service disruptions as their raw water sources were degraded. Under the new agreement, GoldBod will fund rehabilitation works aimed at restoring production capacity and improving the reliability of supply to the affected districts.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, GoldBod CEO Sammy Gyamfi, Esq. said the Board’s decision followed an “independent technical assessment” carried out ahead of the project’s approval, describing the intervention as consistent with the Board’s commitment to “responsible mining” and “environmental sustainability.” He said the project underscored GoldBod’s broader mandate of improving the lives of Ghanaians beyond its core function of gold trading and export regulation.
GWL Managing Director Adam Mutawakilu thanked GoldBod for what he described as a “timely intervention,” noting that the rehabilitation works would help restore water production and strengthen service delivery to communities that have endured prolonged operational challenges at the three facilities. He said the partnership reflected a shared commitment to investing in “sustainable solutions” that protect the environment while reinforcing the country’s public infrastructure.
The agreement adds to a growing list of GoldBod-funded interventions targeting the environmental fallout of illegal mining, including the Board’s recent GH¢35 million reclamation project in the Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve. Both initiatives reflect a pattern in which GoldBod, financed through its gold trading operations, is stepping in to fund remediation costs tied to the damage illegal mining has inflicted on the country’s water bodies and forest reserves.
For Ghana Water Limited, the intervention comes as concerns continue to mount over the financial burden of restoring water bodies affected by illegal mining activities. The company has previously indicated that substantial resources are required to address issues such as river contamination and siltation across several treatment facilities nationwide.
The Bonsa, Daboase and Sekyere Heman Water Supply Systems are among facilities that have experienced production challenges linked to the deteriorating quality of raw water sources, including rivers affected by upstream mining activities. The rehabilitation project is therefore expected to support efforts to improve operational capacity and restore a reliable water supply to affected communities.
