Sand Winning On Volta Lake Raises Concern In Central Tongu  

Adidome, Oct. 7, 24HourNews – Despite the growing national campaign against illegal mining, a similar practice with the same operational method as galamsey is thriving openly on the Volta Lake at Adidome in the Central Tongu District of the Volta Region.

24HourNews investigations have established that operators have mounted changfan machines directly on the lake, with long PVC pipes laid deep to the lakebed to dredge sand onto the shore for sale to contractors and builders.

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Unlike galamsey, the operators do not use toxic chemicals such as mercury, but the impact on the lake is raising serious environmental concerns.

Residents and environmental advocates fear the continuous dredging could silt the lake, destroy breeding grounds for fish, endanger aquatic life and affect the lifespan of the Volta Lake, which remains a major source of livelihood and drinking water for communities along its banks.

Sources in the community say the practice has been ongoing for years and has become a lucrative business, supplying sand for major construction works within and outside the district.

According to findings, several attempts by authorities to halt the operations have proved futile, allowing the activity to continue unabated.

While some locals defend the trade as their only source of income, others are calling for urgent regulation to ensure that sand winning on the lake is done sustainably and without destroying the ecosystem.

They are urging the Water Resources Commission, Environmental Protection Agency and the Central Tongu District Assembly to step in with a clear regulatory framework before the damage becomes irreversible.