Taking Gold, Inflicting Pain

Mary Boateng looks hungry and tired. She confirms she is. She has virtually had no heavy meal in the last three days. Mosquitoes have fed on her in the last days she fears she might get malaria.

She has not had a proper sleep in days and anxiety is killing her.

"I have lost everything. I am hungry. No one has given us food"

She and many others in several communities in the Twifo Atti Mokwa district of the Central region of Ghana have been displaced by floods.

The affected communities include Twansukoda, Bankyease, Arab and Mintaaso

NADMO

The National Disaster Management Organization in the area are only able to give the over 2000 displaced persons matresses, soap and mosquito coil(repellent) for use.

The displaced are now leaving in schools, churches and in kiosk

Aid to the Director of the National Disaster Management Organization, (NADMO) Mr Solomon Okyir Darko said some are staying in kiosks, schools and in churches.

He said though NADMO had given mattresses, mosquito coil and soap, they had not given food items yet.

"What we have now is what we have given, we don't have food supplies yet," he said.

He said the victims needed basic essentials such as food and clothing.

Officials of NADMO had to use canoes to reach affected persons in these communities.

Illegal Mining
Environmentalists attribute recent flooding in parts of the region to the uncontrolled activities of illegal miners locally known as "galamseyers".

The course of rivers and streams of been polluted and diverted by these illegal miners in their search for gold.

Mary says the she has not experienced the intensity of this year's flooding before.

She does not know when the next meal may come from, she said her voice shaking.

Efforts to clamp down illegal mining is still on.

The government of Ghana in collaboration with the media, non governmental organizations and institutions are working hard.

The battle is not over.

The consequences of what has been destroyed of the environment would negatively impact many lives and live with us for a long time.

Many more cry "hunger" in and around Twifo Praso.