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Dr Amin Bonsu, National Chairman of the Ghana Muslim Mission has expressed worry about the rapid increment of ‘galamsey’ (illegal mining) operations in the country in recent times.

He said the activities of ‘galamsey’ operations are fast depleting the water bodies, and if care is not taken, potable water would become a scarce commodity in the country in some few years to come.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, in Accra, Dr Bonsu, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Amen Scientific Hospital said records indicated that in the Eastern and Western Regions water production over the last few months had reduced drastically by about 40 per cent.

He said “the effect of the galamsey operations which had taken over most water bodies in the country is destroying the aquatic resources of the country, and this is dangerous to our health”.

He said: “Allah created everything from water and as human beings our lives depend on it; as it constitutes 70 per cent of the human body.

“If the body does not have enough water in it, the body becomes dehydrated and develops disease like gall bladder and kidney stones, whereas drinking at least four liters of water a day promotes retentive memory, enriches the skin and ensures proper circulation and proper excretion of toxins from the body.”

Dr Bonsu also noted that wasting water was a sin before God, and so it was advisable not to waste water or defecate and urinate in water bodies.

He appealed to the authorities and stakeholders to come on board in order to take more drastic measures to end the practice of galamsey, saying, and “our desire for money these days would have a great impact on us in the future so everyone must get on board to fight the menace”