The Member of Parliament for Wa West, Peter Lanchene Toobu, has led a team of security heads on a mission to assess the intensifying menace of illegal mining activities along the Black Volta River.
The environmental crisis now threatens livelihoods, clean water, and Ghana’s only Hippo Sanctuary.
Communities visited included Dochira, Bankpama, and Chiatanga, where the sound of changfeng machines and the discoloured river are visible testaments to the destruction caused by illegal miners.
Peter Lanchene Toobu, accompanied by commanders of the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Armed Forces, and Ghana Immigration Service, embarked on an inspection tour of illegal mining sites along the Black Volta River.
The visit follows sustained reports of ecological damage and threats to the region’s water security.
Standing by the banks of the now brown-tinged river, Toobu lamented the pollution of water bodies once considered sacred.
“If the future is polluted water, destroyed forests, and an environment so toxic it’s like poison, what kind of future are we leaving for our youth?” he asked.
The MP said the situation had escalated to the point where the region risks losing the Jambusi Water Project, a major source of potable water for several districts.
He warned that if mining continues unchecked, residents of the Upper West Region could soon face the embarrassment of having to import clean water for survival.
“It is not just Wa West. This affects Wa Central, Dorimon, Wechiau, and beyond. If this river dies, the whole region will suffer,” he said.
It could be recalled that seven suspects were recently arraigned before the court for engaging in illegal mining activities in the Wa West District. The arrests were part of an earlier effort by the district’s security council to clamp down on galamsey operations along the Black Volta.

Despite this, Toobu revealed that no arrests were made during the latest tour, as illegal miners often flee upon hearing the sound of vehicles approaching.
“They move as if the river is a highway,” he said. “Before you arrive, they’ve vanished with their champagne machines. It tells us this is a fight that must be relentless.”
He emphasized the need for the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to deploy water guards across the 28 communities along the Black Volta, including in the Nadowli-Kaleo and Lawra Districts, to monitor and prevent illegal mining in real time.
Spiritual & Cultural Engagements
At the Dorimon Naa’s Palace, the MP engaged traditional leaders on the importance of spiritual and cultural intervention.
“When we were young, we were told that there were river gods. You don’t defile the river and go unpunished. I challenge our traditional leaders to do something. Let the tendamba play their part. Let the chiefs act, and the security agencies will back us,” he urged.
Speaking later at the Wechiau Naa’s Palace, Toobu reiterated the critical role of chiefs and called for collaboration with counterparts in Kalba, Sissala, and Bole, whose communities also lie along the Black Volta.

“This river connects us all. The Black Volta is Wa West, and Wa West is the Black Volta. But the damage stretches beyond into STK, into Bui. We must come together to protect it,” he said.
Dr. Bright Kumawzi, Consultant at Wildlife Institute, Calgary zoo, was also present, signalling international interest in the protection of Ghana’s only Hippo Sanctuary, which is now in peril.
“If we allow this to be destroyed, we lose not just biodiversity but an entire tourism economy that could benefit local people,” Toobu warned.
Toobu cited poor communication networks in the district as a major barrier to real-time intelligence gathering. He expressed hope that the Minister for Communications, Sam George, would intervene to improve network coverage in the region.

“If we must fight galamsey and terrorism, communication must be seen as national security,” he stressed.
The MP called for national unity and intergenerational responsibility.
“Let’s show some love for Ghana. It’s not only the government’s job. We must employ collective security and responsibility. This is a battle we must win for our water, our wildlife, and our very survival,” he advised.
W/R: Attibrukusu backs govt on galamsey, seeks Chiefs’ support
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