…But Needs $200K to Prove It
By Prince Ahenkorah
Ghana’s rivers may finally have a fighting chance against the toxic grip of galamsey if the government can cough up $200,000.
That’s the urgent call from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Executive Director, Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse, who says her team has discovered a game-changing copper-based “nano liquid” that can clean up the deadly mess left behind by illegal mining.
“We’ve tested it. It works. It’s doable,” she told Joy News on Sunday, October 5. “There’s still hope. We’re in a technological age.”
With over 60% of Ghana’s major rivers now poisoned by heavy metals like arsenic and mercury, water treatment plants are struggling and sometimes shutting down entirely.
The health risks are terrifying: cancer, genetic damage, and long-term contamination.
But Prof. Klutse says the answer isn’t more boots on the ground it’s science.
“We need to shift from military-style crackdowns to chemical innovation,” she said. “We’ve got the tools. Now we need the funding.”
The EPA’s preferred fix? A copper-based nano liquid that’s already shown results in Greece and passed local lab tests in Ghana. It’s designed to strip toxic substances from flowing river water—and it’s ready for a pilot run.
“To show Ghanaians and even the President that this works, we need $200,000,” Prof. Klutse said. “If I get it today, we’ll start tomorrow.”
Other options, including membrane filtration systems, are also being considered. But Klutse says the EPA will choose the most cost-effective and impactful solution after full evaluation.
While a nationwide cleanup could cost billions, the pilot project is a fraction of that and could unlock massive support if successful.
“This is about showing what’s possible,” Klutse said. “We’re not just looking for something cheap. We want something that works and makes a real difference.”