The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse, has thrown her support behind calls for the President to declare a state of emergency on water bodies, citing the devastating impact of illegal mining on Ghana’s rivers.
According to her, all forms of mining in water bodies are illegal, and no licenses are issued for such activities.
In an interview on JoyNews' The Probe on Sunday, March 16, she noted that immediate action must be taken to halt these operations, as the pollution of major rivers across the country has reached critical levels.

"All activities in that category must stop because any form of mining in our water bodies is completely illegal. No license is given to any person or group to mine in our rivers, so it is a no-go area. That was one of the first things I tackled because we are aware of how much our water bodies have been polluted," she stated.
Read also: Our capacity cannot meet up the galamsey fight – EPA
Prof Browne Klutse described the situation as a national emergency, highlighting that nearly every major river in the country has been contaminated. Beyond the environmental impact, she warned of broader threats posed by illegal mining, including risks to national security, forests, communities, and even the staff of the Forestry Commission.
Read also: Galamsey: We need to reclaim our lands, state of emergency needed – Dr. Ken Ashigbey
"This is a threat to us all. I fully support the President in declaring a state of emergency on illegal mining activities.
"In my opinion, we can even start by focusing on the water bodies because the situation is urgent. I don’t know if I’m the only one seeing this as an emergency, but all Ghanaians must be part of this fight," she added.
Latest Stories
-
Ablekuma North rerun: Hawa Koomson admits using pepper spray in self-defence
17 minutes -
10 Key Takeaways from BoG Governor Dr Johnson Asiama’s address at the Graphic Business/Stanbic Bank Breakfast Meeting
22 minutes -
High Court refuses Nana Agradaa’s bail pending appeal of 15-year sentence
33 minutes -
Ghana Party in the Park: Albert Nii Amartey Armah hails 2025 edition as cultural masterpiece
36 minutes -
CDM demands accountability from Foreign Affairs Ministry over LGBTQ+ vote abstention
41 minutes -
CDM slams Ghana’s UN abstention as ‘betrayal of national values’
41 minutes -
Big Chef Junior S4: Judges step into the kitchen as final Four emerge ahead of grand finale
48 minutes -
Volta Region leads Ghana’s next green industrial revolution with strategic Kenaf breakthrough
50 minutes -
Evodia Foundation’s health care outreach aids vulnerable Lake Bosomtwe residents
53 minutes -
“Urban Gospel is not your personal hustle” – Miss Walters warns
56 minutes -
All mining machinery must be registered with DVLA by August 1 – Interior Minister warns operators
57 minutes -
Greening Ghanaian cities: A nature-based financing and planning proposal for urban sustainability and resilience
1 hour -
4.8 months of import cover is no joke – BoG Governor
1 hour -
NIA registers 190,000 persons within first half of 2025
2 hours -
Show your credentials or drop ‘Dr’ title – GTEC instructs Hassan Ayariga
2 hours