Focus on root causes of galamsey, not chemical cleanups

Environmental Scientist, Prof. Chris Gordon, has urged government and policymakers to focus on addressing the root causes of illegal mining (galamsey) rather than investing heavily in chemical-based interventions to clean polluted rivers.

According to him, these root causes of galamsey are mainly greed and poverty.

His comments come after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) appealed for $200,000 in immediate funding to pilot a new copper-based “nano liquid” technology aimed at decontaminating Ghana’s heavily polluted rivers.

The Executive Director of the EPA, Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse, explained that the pilot project is intended to test the technology’s effectiveness under real-world conditions and generate the momentum needed for large-scale application nationwide.

However, speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, Prof. Gordon argued that Ghana’s environmental crisis should be tackled at its roots.

“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 noted that while the use of chemicals such as alum and the proposed nano liquid may offer short-term relief, they are not sustainable solutions to the country’s water contamination problem.

“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 explained that natural water systems have an inherent capacity to recover from pollution if given the chance.

“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—including riverbank restoration and reforestation—to help restore the country’s water bodies sustainably.

“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 further cautioned that the focus on potable water alone overlooks the broader ecological importance of Ghana’s 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.