Environmental Scientist, Prof. Chris Gordon, has called on the government and policymakers to prioritize tackling the root causes of illegal mining (galamsey) instead of channeling significant resources into chemical-based methods for cleaning polluted rivers.
He identified greed and poverty as the main drivers of galamsey.
His remarks follow an appeal by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for $200,000 in immediate funding to pilot a new copper-based “nano liquid” technology aimed at decontaminating Ghana’s heavily polluted rivers.
According to the Executive Director of the EPA, Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse, the pilot project seeks to test the technology’s effectiveness in real-world conditions and build momentum for nationwide adoption.
Speaking on Citi FM, Prof. Gordon stressed that Ghana’s environmental problems must be addressed at their origins.
“Fundamentally, I think the approach we should be using is tackling it at the source. It is like in the health sector—if you do preventive care, it is better and cheaper than emergency care. So, let’s try to stop the source, which is poverty and greed in the country,” he said.
Prof. Gordon cautioned that while chemicals such as alum and the proposed nano liquid may provide temporary relief, they do not offer lasting solutions to Ghana’s water pollution challenges.
“In the case of the alum they are adding to this water, alum in itself is not something we should be writing home about. But we use this same water to cook food and sell,” he said.
He further explained that natural water systems have a built-in ability to recover if given time and protection.
“Our rivers have self-purification abilities. If we leave them alone for some time, without disturbing them, they will gradually heal themselves. But because of the continued degradation around water bodies, contamination from mining areas will persist for a long time,” he added.
Prof. Gordon advocated for nature-based solutions such as riverbank restoration and reforestation to ensure long-term recovery of water bodies.
“For me, I will suggest a nature-based solution rather than adding more chemicals, which we do not produce. It means we have to import them,” he said.
“I am not against non-green solutions, but we have to make sure they don’t cause more problems in the future.”
He also warned that the country’s focus on potable water alone neglects the broader ecological role of rivers.
“We often talk about drinking water, but our rivers don’t only serve as sources of drinking water. We have a whole ecosystem tied to rivers and lakes, which provide vital ecosystem benefits to us,” he emphasised.
Source : Adomonline
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