Kamgbunli: Information reaching the Ghana News Agency indicate that a sizeable number of fishes in the Ebi and Fia rivers have died due to galamsey activities upstream, threatening the livelihoods of fishermen at Kamgbunli in the Ellembelle District.
According to Ghana News Agency, small scale mining, popularly known as galamsey, has been a significant environmental concern in recent years affecting Kamgbunli, a community in the Western Region. Mr. Dauda Musah, Assembly Member for Kamgbunli electoral area, stated in an interview at Kamgbunli that the practice of galamsey has led to widespread pollution of their rivers such as Rivers Fia, Ebi, and Amanzule, resulting in effects on aquatic life.
Mr. Musah explained that the muddy slurry efflux from galamsey sites in rivers Fia and Ebi seriously affects primary productivity and habitats of indigenous traditional fish such as 'Bile', a local name for a catfish. Fish harvested in the past month continued to develop a wound skin infection, with rotten abdomen and scales beginning to remove together.
He noted that this situation has caused red, swollen lesions on the fish skin, quickly becoming gaping wounds, making the fish very difficult to consume or sell in the market, thus making it economically unbearable since it's the only source of livelihood for the fishers. Fishers have therefore appealed to all stakeholders to come together and find the cause of the strange fish disease.
