The water in Ghana's Pra River is so polluted from illegal gold mining that one artist was able to paint with it to express the environmental destruction caused by greedy industries.
What's happening?
As the BBC reported, corporate mining interests have been using mercury to extract gold throughout Ghana's forests and farms, triggering an environmental disaster in the West African state. The damage has become so extensive that the nonprofit WaterAid called it "ecocide."
When local artist Israel Derrick Apeti, aka Enil Art, traveled to the Pra River, he and his friend were shocked at the state of the water.
"I could actually paint with the water," Apeti discovered, per the BBC. "It was so bad."
Sadly, one study found the Pra River Basin is one of the waterways most impacted by illegal mining activities, also called "galamsey" by locals. However, the destruction spans thousands of locations, which include some forests where cocoa is produced.
Climate activists voiced their disapproval of the mining by protesting on the streets and posting about it on social media, calling on the government to ban illegal mining. Accra police initially detained some of the activists but later let them go to avoid conflict.
As for Apeti, he decided to use his art skills to raise awareness about the environmental crisis.
Why is the polluted river important?
The fact that the entire river turned gold from mining is concerning, especially since communities near the river would say the water was "once so clean that you could see the fish and crocodiles that lived in it," Apeti told the BBC.
Forests across Ghana are also suffering at the hands of businessmen who are cashing in on the gold rush. John Allotey, the head of the Ghana Forestry Commission, told Africa News that an estimated 10,500 acres of land had been destroyed across seven of the country's 16 regions, along with 34 out of 288 forest reserves.
In addition, the mercury leaching into the Pra River could remain for up to 1,000 years, as Dr. George Manful, a former official in Ghana's Environmental Protection Agency, told the BBC. The mercury could then contaminate fish and crops, posing a danger to human health.
"We are slowly poisoning ourselves," Dr. Manful said.
What's being done about the mining pollution?
Several big music stars in Ghana have drawn attention to the river on social media, and WaterAid has called on the government to take action. If nothing is done to stop illegal mining, the state water utility said Ghana may have to start importing water as soon as 2030, per the BBC.
The BBC also reported that since 2021, 76 people — including 18 foreign nationals — have been found guilty of illegal mining, and 850 others were being prosecuted, according to Ghana's government.
Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo also sent naval boats to the river to crack down on mining activities, but some officials believed it wouldn't be strictly enforced, per the BBC.
While we may not be able to stop the pollution in the Pra River, we can make a difference in our daily lives by supporting eco-friendly businesses and educating ourselves about important environmental issues.
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