Ghana News
Ghana Gold Board Injects GH¢8.4 Million to Rescue Water Plants Crippled by Illegal Mining
The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has signed a GH¢8.4 million agreement with Ghana Water Limited to rehabilitate three major water treatment plants in the Western and Central Regions, whose operations have been decimated by years of illegal mining pollution. The intervention marks the first phase of a broader program to restore clean water access to communities devastated by galamsey.
For nearly a decade, residents of Tarkwa-Nsuaem in Ghana’s Western Region have watched their water supply dwindle as illegal mining operations along the Bonsa River turned their primary water source into a murky, silt-choked stream. The Bonsa Water Treatment Plant, which once supplied potable water to the entire municipality, was forced to shut down entirely in January 2025 after excessive sediment blocked its intake point.
That plant—along with the Daboase Water Treatment Plant serving parts of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis and the Sekyere Heman Water Supply System in the Central Region—is now at the center of a GH¢8.4 million rehabilitation agreement signed between the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) and Ghana Water Limited (GWL).
The agreement, which constitutes Phase One of a broader rehabilitation program, aims to restore treatment capacity, improve potable water delivery and strengthen environmental sustainability in communities ravaged by the effects of illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
Nine years of devastation
Speaking at the signing ceremony, GoldBod Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi, Esq., disclosed that the Managing Director of 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.
Rather than immediately committing funds, GoldBod constituted a technical assessment team from its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Unit under the Responsible Mining and Sustainability Directorate to independently verify the condition of the affected facilities.
“The team’s findings confirmed the urgent need for intervention,” Gyamfi said, leading GoldBod to approve funding for three of the six treatment plants as the first phase of the project.
Ghana Water Limited Managing Director Adam Mutawakilu revealed that the affected treatment plants have battled high turbidity levels for the past nine years, severely affecting water production and service delivery in beneficiary communities.
“These facilities have struggled for years with high turbidity, siltation and equipment damage caused by pollution of their raw water sources,” Mutawakilu said. “In some cases, operations have been forced to shut down entirely”.
The true cost of galamsey
The damage to Ghana’s water infrastructure from illegal mining has reached crisis proportions. At the Bonsa Water Treatment Plant, illegal mining along the Bonsa River has caused severe contamination, with excessive silt completely blocking the facility’s intake point. The plant, which supplies the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, was previously shut down entirely after the siltation became unmanageable.
The Daboase Water Treatment Plant, which serves parts of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis and surrounding areas, has recorded rising sediment levels that have increased chemical usage, strained equipment and pushed up operational costs. Officials report that the plant has had to contend with significantly higher sediment loads, resulting in frequent equipment strain and higher operational costs.
The Sekyere Heman Water Supply System has faced similar problems, with heavy sludge and silt deposits triggering frequent breakdowns of treatment infrastructure.
The financial demands of the rehabilitation project far exceeded Ghana Water Limited’s internally generated funds, making external support indispensable.
A comprehensive approach to restoration
Under the arrangement, Ghana Water Limited will execute the rehabilitation works while GoldBod’s technical team will undertake continuous monitoring and evaluation to ensure the project is implemented in accordance with agreed standards and timelines.
Gyamfi explained that given the significant financial commitment involved, the Board did not simply transfer funds to 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.
“This intervention demonstrates our commitment to responsible mining, environmental sustainability and improving the lives of Ghanaians,” Gyamfi said.
Gyamfi 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.
“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.
A broader crisis
The rehabilitation comes as Ghana’s water sector continues to battle the devastating impact of illegal mining. Pollution of rivers has forced utilities to spend significantly more on treating contaminated raw water, and experts warn that conventional treatment plants were not designed to handle the extreme levels of sediment and chemicals now entering water sources.
In May 2026, residents of Tanoso in the Tano North Municipality reported that pollution of the Tano River by illegal mining had forced them to depend entirely on sachet water for drinking and household chores. In July 2026, a nephrologist at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital warned that toxic heavy metals from galamsey were seeping into Ghana’s treated water supply and driving a surge in kidney disease.
The Ghana Water Limited has previously stated that it requires about GH¢300 million to undertake a major dredging and desilting exercise around key water sources that supply its treatment plants nationwide. The company has also proposed a 24-month catchment recovery plan to combat the impact of galamsey on water bodies.
A model for public-private partnership
Mutawakilu commended GoldBod for adopting a thorough and professional approach by first conducting an independent technical assessment before approving the funding.
“We want to assure you that everything you are giving us, there will be accountability,” Mutawakilu said at the signing ceremony. “This collaboration shows the importance of protecting critical national infrastructure while addressing the growing demand for reliable potable water”.
The GoldBod-GWL partnership is expected not only to rehabilitate damaged facilities but also to serve as part of broader efforts to repair the environmental damage caused by irresponsible mining practices.
Gyamfi described the partnership 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.
“We are signing this agreement because we don’t want to just use money, we want to be interested in how the funds are applied,” Gyamfi said.
Looking ahead
The rehabilitation project comes at a critical juncture for Ghana’s water sector. Beyond the financial cost of restoring damaged infrastructure, the pollution of rivers has created wider public health and environmental concerns, forcing water utilities to spend more resources treating increasingly contaminated raw water.
The two institutions said they remain committed to implementing sustainable solutions that protect water resources, strengthen public infrastructure and improve access to safe drinking water for communities in the Western and Central Regions.
For the communities that have endured years of unreliable water supply, the GH¢8.4 million intervention offers a glimmer of hope. The question now is whether the rehabilitation will be sustained, and whether Ghana can finally get to grips with the illegal mining that has poisoned its rivers and crippled its water infrastructure.
Ghana News
Ghana Positions Accra as West Africa’s Premier Aviation Hub with New Airport Hotels Complex
President John Dramani Mahama has cut the sod for a massive seven-storey multi-tiered car park and airport hotels complex at the Accra International Airport, marking a major strategic investment to consolidate Ghana’s position as the leading aviation hub in West Africa.
The ambitious project, being undertaken by the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), will provide approximately 2,030 covered parking bays alongside two new hotels—a 120-room five-star facility and a 250-room three-star facility. The complex will also feature a vibrant mix of retail and dining outlets, office spaces, a food court, a pedestrian sky bridge, a sky lounge, and an aircraft-viewing observatory.
Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony on Thursday, August 28, 2026, President Mahama stated that the development is not merely a construction initiative, but a necessary response to the rapidly increasing demands on Ghana’s principal international gateway.
“This is about preparing Ghana’s principal international gateway for the demands of the future, improving the experience of passengers and visitors, and ensuring that our airport infrastructure keeps pace with Ghana’s economic and development ambitions,” President Mahama stated.
The President highlighted the urgent need for the project by pointing to the significant surge in passenger traffic, which has grown from 1.8 million in 2022 to 2.5 million in 2025. This influx has placed considerable pressure on existing parking facilities, airport roads, and passenger pick-up and drop-off areas.
Designed to optimize the limited land within the airport enclave through vertical development, the new complex will improve traffic circulation and reduce congestion. President Mahama noted that the development would cater to travelers across different income levels, transforming the airport enclave into a vibrant, 24-hour commercial and hospitality hub.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to strengthening connectivity, the President urged contractors and consultants involved in the project to ensure impeccable quality, value for money, and timely completion.
“The project must be completed and commissioned for the benefit of the Ghanaian people,” Mahama stressed, as the government looks to solidify Accra’s status as a leading aviation hub in the sub-region.
Here are the top headline stories from the Ghanaian newspapers published on Friday, August 28, 2026.
💰 The GoldBod Saga & Financial Losses
- The Inquisitor, The Ghanaian Publisher, New Weekend Crusading Guide, Daily Gist, & Metro Lens: “It’s Accounting, Not GoldBod Loss” / “$1.7bn ‘Loss’ Is Not All Real Money Lost” / “GH¢1.7BN GOLDBOD LOSS CLAIM DOESN’T ADD UP – IEA”. The IEA disputes the loss figure, stating it represents revenue and foreign-exchange valuation differences, not actual financial loss.
- The Source & The Daily Searchlight: “AFAG Demands Forensic Audit Of GoldBod’s ‘Fiscal Recklessness'” / “PROBE GOLDBOD OVER ALLEGED GH¢78.6M EXPENDITURE! …AFAG Demands”. (The Alliance for Accountable Governance has called for a forensic audit into the Board’s spending).
- The Informer: “We Warned BoG About GoldBod Losses IMF Reveals; But Central Bank Succumbed To Pressure Of Higher Authority – IMF Reveals…” (Claims the IMF warned the Bank of Ghana about GoldBod losses before they occurred).
- B&FT: “Raise large miners’ mandatory gold sales for GoldBod to 50% — IEA”. (The IEA is proposing a change to the gold purchasing framework).
🗳️ NPP Politics & Internal Elections
- Supreme, The Meridian, & New Weekend Crusading Guide: “Abanga Promises 4 Million Youth Votes for DMB in 2028 …Files For NPP Youth Organiser, Unveils 70 Seats Plan”.
- Supreme, The Meridian, & The Ghanaian Publisher: “Nana B Files Nomination to Contest 1st Vice Chairman of NPP …Declares ‘I Am the Right Man at the Right Time'”.
- Daily Guide & The Ghanaian Publisher: “John Boadu Files NPP National Chairman Nomination” / “‘I’ll Rebuild NPP And Mobilise For Bawumia'”.
⚖️ Justice, Parliament & Vetting Processes
- The Daily Searchlight, Republic Press, & Daily Gist: “Minority Walks Out/Boycotts Over ‘Rushed’ Vetting Of Supreme Court Nominees”.
- Daily Guide: “Appointments Committee Okays 3 SC Nominees As Minority Boycotts Vetting”.
- The Chronicle, The Meridian, The Ghanaian Publisher, Metro Lens, Supreme, The Source, & Daily Gist: “Ayariga Praises Afenyo-Markin …He is a Paragon of Honesty, Fortitude and Integrity” (Outgoing Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga’s parting verdict on Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin).
- Daily Gist: “Martin Amidu Takes On Mahama Over Agalga’s Appointment As Majority Leader”.
- Republic Press: “OSP, A-G On Collision Course! … Over AKSA Probe”.
- Daily Guide: “SML/GRA Scandal: OSP Gets More Time To Serve Ofori-Atta” and “Exim Bank ‘Fraud’: Wontumi Plea Deal Fails, Trial To Proceed”.
- The Informer: “The OSP Is Back! – Kissi Agyebeng Declares Rebirth, Fires Warning @ Critics As He Names 5 Persons of Interest in Berko Probe”.
- Daily Graphic: “Property rate can yield GH¢20bn yearly – Local Government Minister designate (Mahama Ayariga) says at vetting”.
- Metro Lens: “Parliament Approves Mahama Ayariga, Zanetor as Ministers” (Zanetor to resign as 2nd Veep for Pan-African Parliament).
🛡️ Security & Vigilantism
- The Inquisitor: “Julius Debrah Wants Tougher Action Against Vigilantism”.
- The Informer: “Vigilantism Back In Disguise – Nat’l Security Boss Sounds Alarm”.
- Republic Press: “Ayitey Powers In Trouble …Remanded Over Death Threats Against NSA Boss”.
🏫 Education & Public Services
- The Archives: “RECRUITMENT SCANDAL HITS GES …Successful Applicants Asked To Pay GH¢18,000 For Appointment Letters; Two Arrested”.
- The Daily Searchlight: “Labour Dispute Looms as Teacher Unions Warn GES Over August 31st Deadline for Promotion Placements”.
🏗️ Economy, Infrastructure & Industry
- B&FT: “OSP pushes lifestyle audits and unexplained wealth laws”, “BoG targets faster policy response with AI-powered inflation and growth forecasts”, and “Plant, materials push building cost inflation to 4%”.
- Daily Graphic: “President Mahama cuts sod for multiple airport projects”.
- The Archives: “DVLA Cuts Sod For Number Plate Manufacturing Centre Today”.
- Daily Guide: “New Excise Law Threatens 80,000 Farmers, 5,000 Jobs – Analysts Warn”.
- The Informer: “Ghana’s Growth Faces Fresh Threat …As World Bank Flags High Cost Of Doing Business”.
🌍 Environment, Social & Galamsey
- The NewsCentA: “Galamsey Has Been Normalised – Presby Moderator, Catholic Bishops’ President express outrage”.
- The Informer: “‘Galamsey Now Youth Employment’ – Catholic Bishops”.
- New Weekend Crusading Guide: “Armed Soldiers Attack Mining Site With ‘Orders From Above’ …Kill One, Take Over Narawa Mine Concession In Heman”.
- Daily Graphic: “I’ll fight galamsey, environmental crimes – Dr Agyeman-Rawlings”.
- Supreme Newspaper: “Zoomlion Launches Disinfection, Disinfestation Exercise Across Upper East Region”.
- B&FT: “Tourism Authority partners Africa’s Brain Bank for Medical City groundbreaking”.
- The Daily Searchlight: “Stay & Build Ghana’s Economy! …Kwame Pianim Urges Ghanaian Youth”.
The Israeli Ambassador to Ghana has publicly rejected President John Dramani Mahama’s characterization of the war in Gaza as genocide.
Ambassador Roey Gilad has described Mahama’s assessment of the situation in Gaza as “wrong” and pointed out that Israel’s military campaign is a defensive operation with no intent to annihilate the Palestinian people.
The remarks, delivered at a press briefing in Accra, sharpen the diplomatic disagreement between the two nations over the legal and moral interpretation of the conflict.
The Clash Over “Intent”
Ambassador Roey Gilad acknowledged the significant number of casualties but argued that the legal definition of genocide rests on specific intent, not the scale of civilian deaths. He stated that Israel’s operations were a defensive response to the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, and that civilian casualties were “collateral damage” rather than an objective of the campaign.
“What defines genocide is the intention of one side to annihilate, to destroy completely the other side… There was no intention whatsoever to destroy, to annihilate the Palestinian people and in that sense I think the President is wrong,” Ambassador Gilad said.
He further emphasized that Israel is fighting terrorist organizations, not the Palestinian people, highlighting the challenge posed by Hamas operating within civilian areas in Gaza.
The President’s Position
President Mahama has consistently used the term “genocide” in international forums. He first applied the label during his address to the 80th United Nations General Assembly in September 2025. He reaffirmed this stance in an interview with TRT World’s Bigger Than Five program aired on August 21, 2026, where he argued that the international community had avoided direct language about the crisis.
He tied the situation in Gaza to what he describes as double standards in international justice, saying, “As long as we continue to distort justice, depending on who it is, we’ll continue to live a lie.”
A Relationship of Disagreement and Partnership
Despite the verbal conflict, the Ambassador was keen to downplay the notion of a strained relationship, stressing that disagreements do not equate to bad relations. He noted that Ghana remains an “extremely important partner” for Israel and highlighted the reopening of Ghana’s embassy in Tel Aviv in late August as a sign of strengthening ties.
Ghana and Israel have maintained diplomatic relations since 1957. The two nations have continued to cooperate on development issues, with recent bilateral consultations in Jerusalem covering cybersecurity, fintech, and defense.
Continued Scrutiny and Casualties
The public disagreement occurs against the backdrop of ongoing international scrutiny over the humanitarian situation in Gaza. As of August 25, 2026, Gaza’s health ministry reported 73,431 Palestinians killed and 174,437 injured since October 7, 2023. The United Nations attributes these figures to the Gaza Ministry of Health while noting they have not all been independently verified.
The debate mirrors wider legal arguments regarding the situation, centered on the interpretation of the 1948 Genocide Convention and whether Israel’s actions demonstrate the specific intent required for a legal finding of genocide.
The Ambassador also called on Ghana to join international efforts to pressure Iran, which he claims is destabilizing the region and impacting global trade routes, including fuel imports crucial for Ghana’s economy.
A Borderless Insurgency, a Divided Response: The ECOWAS–AES Security Dilemma
Ghana Positions Accra as West Africa’s Premier Aviation Hub with New Airport Hotels Complex
