The impact of illegal mining in Kwesitwikrom has pushed teenage girls into an unthinkable dilemma of using foul, dark, smelly pond water during their menstrual periods, or the other option is to stay home and miss school entirely.
At Kwesitwikrom D/A Basic School in the Agona East District of the Central Region, pupils have lived without access to clean water for the past two months. The shutdown of the Kwanyako Water Treatment Plant has left the community in crisis after the Ayensu River, the main source of raw water, became too polluted to treat.
Ghana has made progress in promoting girl-child education, increasing enrollment, and sustaining conversations around menstrual hygiene. But in and around the Ayensu River, those gains are at risk as the water crisis worsens, driven by contamination linked to illegal mining in Kwesitwikrom and surrounding communities.
The Kwanyako Headworks, once the lifeline of the area, was forced to close after turbidity levels in the river soared to nearly 95,000, far above the safe threshold of 50. With taps running dry, girls have resorted to unsafe alternatives, stripping them of their dignity and privacy.
Inside classrooms, menstruation remains unspoken, but its burden is undeniable. The lack of clean water has made it nearly impossible for girls to manage their periods safely and hygienically.
Despite growing calls for urgent action, former President John Dramani Mahama says he is not convinced enough political will exists to declare a state of emergency over mining activities in forest reserves and water bodies.
Bright Appiah, Executive Director of Child Rights International, says the situation is a direct violation of children’s fundamental rights.
He said, “The key thing for me from this documentary has to do with the fact that in all aspects, especially when it comes to the rights of the girl child; the major ones are being abused. You pick the right to health, which is critical in promoting the welfare of children. The right to protection is one of the critical rights of the state. Clearly, you will see that there are major pillars of rights that are being abused,” he said.
He warned that the long-term effects of illegal mining in Kwesitwikrom on children may not be immediately visible but could become devastating over time.
“It will take five, 10, 15 years to identify the effect. By that time, it will be a bit too late for the state to reverse. And even if the state wants to reverse it under our rehabilitation and maintenance program, it means spending millions of dollars to rehabilitate a child, especially where the gravity of the issue has become a norm in a particular society.”
Bright Appiah stressed that Ghana’s weak social safety systems make the situation even more alarming and called for immediate, pragmatic interventions.
Schoolchildren say illegal mining in Kwesitwikrom has polluted their only source of drinking water, forcing them, and especially girls, to rely on stagnant ponds for washing and sanitation.
For the girls of Kwesitwikrom, menstruation is no longer just a biological process; it has become a battle for dignity, health, and access to education.
