The Member of Parliament for Wa West, Peter Lanchene Toobu, has pledged to safeguard the Black Volta River from illegal mining, describing it as the “lifeblood” of his constituency and the Upper West Region.
Speaking at a district assembly engagement on August 20, Toobu said: “The Black Volta is Wa West, and Wa West is the Black Volta. It is our life. If we don’t protect it, it is not only Wa West that will suffer. The whole of Upper West is going to suffer, and particularly Wa Central.”
He announced the deployment of trained water guards, supported by the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, to monitor and prevent mining along the river.
As part of efforts to promote safety on the river, Toobu also donated 50 life jackets to residents following a recent drowning incident. “There shouldn’t be anybody again found on the river without a life jacket,” he stressed.
Receiving the items, Wa West District Chief Executive Richard Wullo thanked the MP and appealed for more support to provide safety gear at major crossing points.
