The move, according to the Company, was due to the massive activities of illegal miners (galamseyers) on the Bonsa River, which had made it difficult for them to abstract water for treatment.

A statement issued on January 2, 2025, and signed by Mr Wisdom Doe Akoto, District Manager, GWCL-Tarkwa, said the Company have tried all that they could but to no vail, hence the closure.

"The river is still being monitored for acceptable parameters to enable us restart production, and until then, the plant remains closed. We promise to update the public on any development with regard to the current situation" the statement explained.

Meanwhile, Mr Kwabena Appiah, a resident of Cyanide in Tarkwa told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the situation had become so dire that many families were forced to drill boreholes or buy water from private vendors which was very expensive.

"We are suffering because of these illegal miners. Residents have complained about this issue for years, but nothing has been done about it. We are calling on the President-elect to take immediate action against these illegal miners to protect our water bodies and forest reserves," he added.

Madam Rose Abbah, a trader and resident at market circle, lamented that due to the water shortage in the constituency, there was the likelihood of outbreak of communicable diseases since the various public health protocols could not be adhered to.

Information gathered by the GNA indicate that these illegal miners are still extracting gold from the Bonsa River, which have been polluted for years.

The communities, which relied heavily on the river as their source of drinking water and for other domestic uses are struggling to cope with the present situation.