Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Dr. Freda Prempeh, emphasizes collective responsibility in the fight against galamsey
Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Dr. Freda Prempeh, asserts that the battle against galamsey, particularly concerning water-related issues, should not be entrusted solely to a chosen few. She expressed that while traditional leaders and community members have significant roles to play, the primary responsibility rests with every Ghanaian.
During her inaugural interview as the minister of the sector, conducted by GhanaWeb TV’s Etsey Atisu, Dr. Freda Prempeh underscored the need for broader efforts to protect Ghana’s water resources.
“I think I heard Dormaahene somewhere in the media saying that nobody can come to Dormaa and mine… and so you see that the rivers there are clean. So, we all have to put our feet down.
“It’s a collective effort. I cannot fight it alone; you cannot fight it alone, because if they come and we don’t give them access, if they come and we stop them, if they come and we report them, do you think they will continue to come? But when they come, we accept them because we think that we can make a penny or two from what they are coming to do, forgetting that we are contaminating – all those things are affecting our water bodies,” she said.
She also outlined some of the initiatives her ministry is taking to try to maintain Ghana’s sanitation standards.
Following the resignation of her predecessor, Cecilia Dapaah, and a court case in which she is attempting to recover approximately $1 million purportedly stolen from her Abelemkpe home by two house assistants, Freda Prempeh was named minister of the sector.