The Coordinator of Eco-Conscious Citizens, Awula Serwaa, has urged government to prioritise halting illegal mining activities polluting Ghana’s water bodies before investing heavily in water treatment interventions.

Speaking on Top Story on Joy FM, she argued that efforts to clean contaminated rivers would not yield sustainable results if pollution from illegal and irresponsible mining continues unchecked.

"We need to stop the pollution first before treating the water. Illegal mining is what is causing the existential threat. If we don’t deal with that, any treatment will only be temporary,” she stressed.

Her remarks follow a pilot water-cleaning initiative by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which reportedly produced visually clearer water after treatment.

However, experts have cautioned that despite improved appearance, harmful heavy metals may still remain in the water, posing serious health risks.

Serwaa questioned the sustainability and cost implications of the intervention, noting that approximately $200,000 is required to treat just one kilometre of polluted water.

She described the approach as financially burdensome if the root cause of contamination is not addressed.

The EPA has also indicated that restoring the heavily polluted Birim River alone could cost about $35 million, highlighting the scale of environmental degradation caused by illegal small-scale mining, commonly known as galamsey.

Calling for urgent and decisive action, Serwaa advocated for the declaration of a state of emergency on polluted water bodies and proposed the deployment of the Navy to safeguard rivers from further destruction.

According to her, once pollution is completely halted, authorities can then implement effective and lasting water treatment solutions.