Impact of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining on Water bodies and Treatment: The Case of Birim River Basin in Ghana

Water bodies, the source of drinking water for many rural households in mining areas are at risk of contamination due to artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) activities. Water quality, therefore, remains a topical issue for policymakers and researchers. This research sought to achieve three objectives: firstly, to evaluate the effectiveness of existing policies and regulations about ASM in protecting waterbodies. Secondly, to determine the impact of ASM on waterbodies, health and livelihood of inhabitants in mining communities and thirdly, to remove heavy metals from water using locally available bio-adsorbents such as moringa seeds, coconut and corn husks. A survey of 400 respondents and 30 interviews were conducted in three mining communities that depend on water from the River Birim Basin, in Ghana, to assess the impact of ASM activities on water bodies, health and livelihood of inhabitants of the affected communities. One hundred water samples were collected from the Birim River, tributaries, groundwater and mine ponds in the wet (June-September) and dry seasons (December to March), to determine the water quality and the concentrations of heavy metals such as Arsenic, Lead, Iron, Mercury, Cadmium and Manganese. Water containing heavy metals were treated using bio-adsorbents in the laboratory. An evaluation of existing policies related to ASM in Ghana was also carried out. The findings indicated that a lack of awareness and ineffective implementation and enforcement of the policies, in addition to limited knowledge of the impact of ASM activities on water bodies contributed to the pollution of water bodies. Heavy metal concentrations exceeded the WHO limit for drinking water in most of the samples especially in the dry season. Water from the Birim Basin was found to be contaminated and not safe for drinking and other domestic purposes and therefore treatment of the water is necessary. The bio-adsorbents developed in the present research successfully removed some arsenic, iron and lead from the water. These bio-adsorbents can therefore be used by communities dependent on the Birim Basin to reduce heavy metal related health risks. Research findings are expected to provide relevant information for policymakers, environmental experts and other stakeholders in enhancing water quality

Perceptions Of Threat Risk Frequency And Impact On Construction Projects In Ghana: Opinion Survey Findings

Threat risks are experienced by all stakeholders in a construction project. Although the nature of these risks is understood, less is known about their likelihood of occurrence and potential impact. This study explored these elements of risk by using an opinion survey approach to collect data from 103 professionals (clients, consultants and contractors) in the Ghanaian construction industry. Signifcant differences were found between the perceptions of these sub-groups regarding the likelihood of occurrence of threat risks in fve categories: construction method; price inflation; exceptional weather; ground conditions and site contamination; and poor communication among the project team. The contractors rated ‘construction methods’ higher than did the clients, and they also rated ‘exceptional weather’ higher than either the clients or the consultants. On the other hand, consultants rated ‘price inflation’ higher than the clients. Signifcant differences between the sub-groups were also found regarding the potential impact of the threat risk of price fluctuation. The consultants rated the ‘price fluctuation’ threat risk higher than either the contractors or the clients. These fndings suggest that despite the existence of remedial strategies to protect some of the stakeholders from these risks, there is a fear of being blacklisted, thus compromising future opportunities (especially among contractors) should legal action be taken to redress the identifed problems (such as such delayed payments). The following implications are drawn: One of the suggested recourses is the introduction of bespoke rather than standard contracts, as these might introduce contract flaws and contribute towards helping the project stakeholders monitor these potential risks and take appropriate action