3 hours ago
The government is taking steps to resolve transboundary river pollution issues involving the Tano and Bia rivers, which also flow through Ivorian waters.
To that end, the Ministries of Lands and Natural Resources, Sanitation and Water Resources, Defense, Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation met with a high-level delegation from Cote D'Ivoire, led by Laurent Tchagba, the Ivorian Minister for Water and Forest.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel A. Jinapor, who co-chaired the meeting with the Sanitation and Water Resources Minister, Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah on Tuesday, informed the Ivorian delegation that there have been many challenges in protecting the country's river bodies but the government has not relented in waging war against illegal miners in the country.
Mr Jinapor stated that the government has taken a two-pronged approach to combat illegal mining in the country's river bodies.
The two-pronged approach, which he described as law enforcement and reformation, has resulted in the designation of river bodies as no-mine zones and the authorization of the military's participation in Operation Halt, an initiative aimed at ridding rivers of illegal miners.
He stated that while illegal mining remains a threat to the country's river bodies, he was optimistic that the meeting's deliberations would result in a firm conclusion on the issues of water pollution in both countries, adding that he looked forward to working closely with all stakeholders to address the issue plaguing both countries.
Mad. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, stated that water was very important to the well-being of people all over the world, not just Ghana and Cote D'Ivoire and that there was the need to take up Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which advocates for clean water and sanitation for all.
She also hoped that the bilateral meeting would help both countries recognize the far-reaching consequences of a waterless world and make concrete decisions that would benefit both countries and the world as a whole.
On his part, Laurent Tchagba, the leader of the Ivorian Delegation and Minister for Water and Forests, stated that water was important for both countries because it binds them in some way and he hoped that they would be able to confer on issues and resolve the common challenge together.
