In a time when youth unemployment continues to pose a significant challenge to national development, it is both inspiring and refreshing to witness a visionary leader who is not only addressing environmental issues but also creating meaningful opportunities for the younger generation.

Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse, the Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), is fast emerging as a national asset, transforming challenges into opportunities and driving a new wave of hope among the youth.

Prof. Klutse’s leadership at the EPA is nothing short of transformative. With her well-known diligence, scientific acumen, and unrelenting passion for solving environmental problems, she is breathing new life into the authority's mandate.

But what sets her apart is her unique understanding that solving environmental issues must go hand-in-hand with creating socio-economic opportunities, especially for young people.

Under Prof. Klutse’s dynamic leadership, the EPA is no longer confined to regulation alone. It has become an instrument of national development, contributing directly to job creation and the redefinition of Ghana’s green economy.

Recognizing the vast potential within the environmental sector, she has been intentional about aligning the EPA’s operations with the national youth employment agenda.

One of her key strategies is the expansion of EPA offices across the country. By decentralizing the agency’s operations and opening new regional and district branches, Prof. Klutse is bringing environmental governance closer to communities — and in the process, generating numerous job openings for young professionals in environmental science, administration, enforcement, and community engagement.

Strategic presence at the ports

In another bold and strategic move, the EPA, under her guidance, is establishing offices at Ghana’s major ports. This initiative is designed to monitor and control the influx of hazardous chemicals and electronic waste into the country, a growing concern in recent years.

By setting up these port offices, Prof. Klutse is not only safeguarding public health and environmental safety but also creating specialized employment opportunities in inspection, logistics, and hazardous waste management.

These offices are expected to become hubs for young, skilled professionals who will be trained and employed to enforce environmental compliance at our borders. This is a clear testament to Prof. Klutse’s commitment to turning every ecological challenge into a solution with a social impact.

One of the most pressing environmental issues facing Ghana today is plastic pollution, a problem that clogs drains, pollutes oceans, and threatens biodiversity. Prof. Klutse is taking this issue head-on, implementing forward-thinking policies and partnerships to reduce plastic waste nationwide.

Her efforts include advocating for sustainable packaging alternatives, supporting recycling initiatives, and working closely with industry stakeholders to implement circular economy models. These interventions are not only reducing environmental degradation but are also empowering many youth-led businesses in the recycling and waste management sectors.

Already, several start-ups led by young Ghanaians have benefited from EPA’s programs, receiving support in the form of training, technical guidance, and access to funding opportunities. Through these efforts, Prof. Klutse is helping to nurture a new generation of green entrepreneurs who are turning waste into wealth.

What makes Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse’s approach exceptional is her belief that national transformation must be inclusive, youth-driven, and environmentally grounded. Her vision goes beyond boardrooms and policies; she is out in the field, listening to communities, mentoring young professionals, and leading initiatives that deliver real impact.

As a renowned scientist and academic, she brings credibility and knowledge to the table. As a public servant, she brings humility, hard work, and a fierce dedication to national development, and as a woman in leadership, she is breaking barriers and inspiring the next generation to dream big and work hard for a better Ghana.

The young Physics Professor is not just solving environmental problems; she is rewriting the narrative of what environmental leadership can achieve. In aligning EPA’s work with the pressing need for youth employment, she is proving that the green economy is not a distant dream, but a present reality waiting to be fully tapped.

We commend her for her groundbreaking work and call on all stakeholders in government, the private sector, and civil society to support her vision. Ghana needs more leaders like Prof. Klutse: visionary, action-oriented, and committed to building a greener, more inclusive, and prosperous future for all.

Let us celebrate her efforts, and more importantly, join her in building a cleaner environment and a stronger economy, one opportunity at a time.