The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking a scientific step to combat the severe pollution of Ghana’s rivers caused by illegal mining, announcing plans to pilot a copper-based “nano liquid” technology that has shown promising results in removing toxic contaminants.
The Executive Director of the EPA, Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse, said the initiative represents a major scientific breakthrough capable of reversing years of environmental degradation if adequately funded and implemented.
“I want to tell my fellow Ghanaians that there is still hope because we are in a technology age. We must move our response to galamsey from military interventions to scientific innovation,” she said on Sunday, on Joy News’ Probe.
Prof. Klutse revealed that the EPA has identified at least two viable purification technologies, including the copper-based “nano liquid,” which has already been successfully deployed in Greece.
Laboratory tests conducted by the EPA in Ghana confirmed the product’s ability to cleanse water contaminated with heavy metals such as arsenic and mercury.
“We have done the test in the lab for the EPA and advised the government on this. We have tested it, and it works, and it’s doable,” she stated.
The EPA estimates that up to 60 percent of Ghana’s major rivers are polluted due to illegal mining activities.
The contamination largely from high concentrations of arsenic and mercury has forced several water treatment plants to shut down and poses serious health risks, including genotoxic exposure and cancer.
While full-scale river dechemicalisation will require billions of dollars, Prof. Klutse said a modest $200,000 is urgently needed to fund a pilot demonstration. The pilot aims to validate the technology under live river conditions and convince policymakers and the public of its potential.
“To do pilots to show to Ghanaians and even the President that this is doable, we need $200,000. If I get it today, we will do the pilot for every Ghanaian to see,” she said.
The EPA believes the successful demonstration could unlock political commitment and attract both domestic and international financing for large-scale clean-up efforts.
Prof. Klutse added that the EPA is also evaluating membrane-based purification systems and other high-tech options, with final decisions to be guided by economic and environmental cost-benefit assessments.
“We are looking at all of the options, and we will have to decide on the one that is more affordable, not just cheap affordable, but effective and cost-efficient,” she explained.
The agency’s initiative aligns with growing public health concerns. The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana recently called on government to declare galamsey a national public health emergency, citing studies that found a cancer risk factor of 0.16 and a projected 78 cases per 1,000 infants exposed to arsenic-contaminated water.
