Members of the Atwima Nwabiagya District Assembly in the Ashanti Region have passed a resolution to flush out encroachers from the catchment area of the Barekese Dam.

The dam is the major source of potable water for more than half of the residents in Kumasi and adjoining communities, producing 30 million gallons of water every day.

But increased human activities, including illegal mining and logging within the catchment area, are posing a threat to the dam’s existence.

District Chief Executive for Atwima Nwabiagya, Nana Asare Bediako, speaking to Class News, said a combined team of police and military personnel will be deployed to protect the dam from danger posed by human activities.

“River Offin is the source of the dam, and as I speak to you now because of illegal ‘galamsey’, they are destroying the rivers and it is difficult for us to get more water for production,” he stated.

“Aside from that people are also farming around the catchment areas and also felling trees that protect the river and because of that other people are also encroaching the land that protects the river, putting up structures and other things.

“With the collaboration of the assembly, we have decided to make sure we deal with those that are using these lands illegally and then we make sure we stop them. We have DISEC meetings and we have agreed that we will have a task force including the police and military for us to check those that are doing illegal things there and preventing us from getting potable water.”