Communities living around Ghana’s Volta Lake face a looming environmental and economic crisis as illegal sand winning activities spread into the nation’s largest inland water body.
The practice, previously confined to riverbanks and farmlands, is now encroaching directly into the lake a lifeline for fishing, irrigation, and inland water transport.
Raising the alarm in Parliament on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, the Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri and Minority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, warned that residents dependent on the lake for their livelihoods could face devastating consequences if urgent steps are not taken.
“This is no longer a problem of remote rural areas sand winning has now invaded the Volta Lake itself. That’s deeply worrying,” the MP told the House during deliberations on a statement presented by Ayensuano MP, Ida Adjoa Asiedu, on the environmental havoc caused by unregulated sand mining across Ghana.
Communities around the lake from fishing households to small-scale farmers — risk losing their primary sources of food, income, and drinking water. The lake also serves as a key reservoir for Ghana’s hydroelectric power generation, and any disruption to its ecosystem could have national implications.
Frank Annoh-Dompreh, who previously chaired a Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee on Sand Winning, recalled disturbing findings of widespread environmental degradation linked to unregulated sand mining. He cited evidence of degraded landscapes, destroyed farmlands, and now, the degradation of the Volta Lake itself.
“We must act with urgency. The Volta Lake is not just a national resource—it is the beating heart of our energy, food, and water systems,” he cautioned.
The MP also criticized the weak enforcement of environmental regulations, citing logistical limitations faced by agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which lacks a presence in many districts. “The EPA cannot bear the blame alone. We need better inter-agency coordination and real investment in enforcement capacity,” he said.
Calling for a united national front, he urged the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to take decisive leadership in curbing sand winning and saving communities from further harm.
“This is not a partisan issue — it is a moral and generational duty. The future of our water bodies, our environment, and our people is at stake,” he concluded.
