Akwatia
Encyclopedia
Akwatia is a town in the Eastern region
of Ghana
west of the Atewa Range
in the Birim River
basin with a population of about 23,000. It is the main center of diamond extraction in the country.
, and is the center of a parliamentary constituency of the same name. Traditionally a stronghold of the center-right New Patriotic Party
(NPP), there were difficulties with the 2008 general elections where several polling boxes were vandalized.
The Saint Dominic's Hospital in Akwatia is a 320-bed facility, relatively well-equipped but suffering from a shortage of doctors and supplies. Common serious ailments include malaria
, tetanus
, tuberculosis
and polio. The hospital opened an Eye Clinic in 2003 funded by the Germany Rotary Volunteer Doctors. When St. Dominic’s hospital started an AIDS
treatment acceleration program, between September 2006 and January 2007 32 clients had initiated therapy.
rocks and has produced more than a 100000000 carats (20,000 kg) of diamonds, mostly industrial grade. The government-owned Ghana Consolidated Diamonds (GCD) is the only formal commercial producer of diamonds, using strip mining with Manitowoc
draglines. The plant is obsolescent, available only 38% of the time and working far below capacity. The government is looking for a strategic investor to take over operations. Although the Akwatia deposits are nearly depleted, large additional resources have been identified in the nearby Birim River deposits, including an altered meta-lamproite
that may represent a primary diamond source.
s" leave large pits which fill with water during the rainy season, and create a breeding ground for Anopheles gambiae
mosquitoes, the vector of transmission for malaria. Land degradation from mining reduces biodiversity
and decreases availability of medicinal plants used for ailments such as anemia
, asthma
, gonorrhea
, measles
and typhoid. Lack of water treatment by the mining company is a major cause of diarrhea
, cholera
and typhoid. In 2001, diarrhea was the second most common cause of outpatient morbidity in the Kwaebibirem District after malaria. Below Akwatia the river holds high levels of silt from the mining operations.
Eastern Region (Ghana)
The Eastern Region is one of Ghana's ten administrative regions. It covers an area of 19,323 square kilometres, which is about 8.1% of Ghana's total land area. The region is divided into administrative districts. The total number of districts were increased from 17 districts to 21...
of Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
west of the Atewa Range
Atewa Range
The Atewa Range is in the Akyem Abuakwa region of southeastern Ghana, near the town of Kibi, and south-west of the Kwahu Plateau which forms the south-west boundary of Lake Volta. The range runs roughly north-south, consisting of steep-sided hills with fairly flat summits...
in the Birim River
Birim River
The Birim River is one of the main tributaries of the Pra River in Ghana and the country's most important diamond-producing area, flowing through most of the width of the Eastern region. The river rises in the east of the Atewa Range, flows north through the gap between this range and the Kwahu...
basin with a population of about 23,000. It is the main center of diamond extraction in the country.
Administration
The town is part of the Kwaebibirem DistrictKwaebibirem District
The Kwaebibirem District is a district of Ghana in the Eastern Region. The principal town is Akwatia on the Birim River.-Sources:*...
, and is the center of a parliamentary constituency of the same name. Traditionally a stronghold of the center-right New Patriotic Party
New Patriotic Party
-External links:*...
(NPP), there were difficulties with the 2008 general elections where several polling boxes were vandalized.
Facilities
Schools include St. Rose's´High School and Akwatia Technical Institute. The local soccer club is the Akwatia Diamond Stars.The Saint Dominic's Hospital in Akwatia is a 320-bed facility, relatively well-equipped but suffering from a shortage of doctors and supplies. Common serious ailments include malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
, tetanus
Tetanus
Tetanus is a medical condition characterized by a prolonged contraction of skeletal muscle fibers. The primary symptoms are caused by tetanospasmin, a neurotoxin produced by the Gram-positive, rod-shaped, obligate anaerobic bacterium Clostridium tetani...
, tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
and polio. The hospital opened an Eye Clinic in 2003 funded by the Germany Rotary Volunteer Doctors. When St. Dominic’s hospital started an AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
treatment acceleration program, between September 2006 and January 2007 32 clients had initiated therapy.
Diamond mining
The Akwatia diamond field lies in BirimianBirimian
The Birimian rocks are major sources of gold and diamonds that extend through Ghana, the Ivory Coast, Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso. They are named after the Birim River, one of the main tributaries of the Pra River in Ghana and the country's most important diamond-producing area...
rocks and has produced more than a 100000000 carats (20,000 kg) of diamonds, mostly industrial grade. The government-owned Ghana Consolidated Diamonds (GCD) is the only formal commercial producer of diamonds, using strip mining with Manitowoc
The Manitowoc Company
Manitowoc Company Inc is a global company specializing in products for the food service and construction industries. Manitowoc recently completed the divestiture of their marine division in January 2009.-History:...
draglines. The plant is obsolescent, available only 38% of the time and working far below capacity. The government is looking for a strategic investor to take over operations. Although the Akwatia deposits are nearly depleted, large additional resources have been identified in the nearby Birim River deposits, including an altered meta-lamproite
Lamproite
Lamproites are ultrapotassic mantle-derived volcanic and subvolcanic rocks. They have low CaO, Al2O3, Na2O, high K2O/Al2O3, a relatively high MgO content and extreme enrichment in incompatible elements....
that may represent a primary diamond source.
Environmental issues
Although diamond mining does not involve the same potentially harmful chemical processes as gold mining, it has caused various health problems in the town. Both legal mining activities on GCD's sites and informal "galamseyGalamsey
A galamsey is a local artisanal gold miner in Ghana, West Africa; such workers are known as orpailleurs in neighboring francophone nations. Galamseys are people who do gold mining independent of mining companies, digging small workings by hand.-Background:Generally the galamseys can dig only to a...
s" leave large pits which fill with water during the rainy season, and create a breeding ground for Anopheles gambiae
Anopheles gambiae
Anopheles gambiae is a complex of at least seven morphologically distinguishable species of mosquitoes in the genus Anopheles. This complex was recognised in the 1960s and includes the most important vectors of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa and the most efficient malaria vectors known.This species...
mosquitoes, the vector of transmission for malaria. Land degradation from mining reduces biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
and decreases availability of medicinal plants used for ailments such as anemia
Anemia
Anemia is a decrease in number of red blood cells or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood. However, it can include decreased oxygen-binding ability of each hemoglobin molecule due to deformity or lack in numerical development as in some other types of hemoglobin...
, asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
, gonorrhea
Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is a common sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The usual symptoms in men are burning with urination and penile discharge. Women, on the other hand, are asymptomatic half the time or have vaginal discharge and pelvic pain...
, measles
Measles
Measles, also known as rubeola or morbilli, is an infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus, specifically a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. Morbilliviruses, like other paramyxoviruses, are enveloped, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses...
and typhoid. Lack of water treatment by the mining company is a major cause of diarrhea
Diarrhea
Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...
, cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
and typhoid. In 2001, diarrhea was the second most common cause of outpatient morbidity in the Kwaebibirem District after malaria. Below Akwatia the river holds high levels of silt from the mining operations.