The closure of the plant is set to have serious consequences on the residents of Obuasi and its environs as they are likely to lose access to potable water.

According to operators of the plant, the activities of small scale illegal miners, popularly known as galamsey operators, have caused the raw water quality of the Odaso dam to deteriorate, which they say, has increased production cost.

Officials say the intended shutdown is also to save the dam from a possible collapse.

The Ashanti Regional chief manager in charge of production, Francis Kwesi Awotwe, told TV3 the turbidity of the water from the dam has peaked, noting the raw water colour has exceeded the threshold value of 200mt which the plant is designed to handle.

He said they are currently engaging the stakeholders within the Odaso area to find a lasting solution to the problem, because “Odaso and its immediate surrounding communities are going to be affected”.

“The activities of illegal miners have become a source of worry. As soon as the company officials visits the site, then the operators run into bush, but whenever we return to our various offices, these guys come back to operate,” Mr Awotwe said

He appealed to the authorities to help evict the galamsey operators from the area to save the situation.

Background

The galamsey operators have destroyed large swathes of cocoa farms at Odaso, Watreso, Megyegyeme and other communities in the Amansie Central district of the Ashanti region.

The levels of devastating have resulted in some residents abandoning their farming activities and relocating their families to other communities to prevent them from falling into open pits and gullies dug by the galamsey operators.

A Chinese woman, identified as madam Asia Huang, is said to be the lead operator in the area working with some Ghanaian collaborators .

By Benjamin Aidoo|TV3|3news.com|Ghana