Ghana’s rivers — once lifelines for communities, agriculture, and industry — are now among the greatest casualties of illegal mining. Across the country, water bodies have turned brown with heavy pollution, threatening public health, food security, and future development.
Amidst this national crisis comes a powerful message of hope and local ingenuity.
At the 17th Congregation Ceremony of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) in Tarkwa, where 2,496 students graduated, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Richard Kwasi Amankwah, announced a breakthrough that could change the narrative. He revealed that UMaT has developed a homegrown technology capable of clearing all illegal mining–polluted rivers in Ghana, if given the mandate to act.
According to Prof. Amankwah, the innovation is the work of UMaT’s Minerals Engineering Department, in collaboration with Geomatic Engineers led by Prof. Cynthia Boye. Using satellite imagery, researchers have been able to assess water quality in rivers across small-scale mining communities. Their work is combined with advanced purification analysis carried out through collected water samples.
With confidence, the Vice Chancellor affirmed:
“UMaT has the technology and the know-how to clear all the polluted rivers in Ghana if given the opportunity.”
This declaration is more than an academic achievement — it is a call to action.
It challenges government, policymakers, and environmental stakeholders to place trust in Ghanaian expertise. It urges the nation to invest in its own institutions, its scientists, and its innovations. And it reminds us that solutions to Ghana’s most pressing problems do not always lie outside our borders; often, they are being developed right here at home.
The fight against galamsey cannot be won by enforcement alone. It requires technology, research, and long-term restoration strategies — areas in which UMaT has demonstrated clear leadership. As the country seeks sustainable ways to reclaim its rivers, UMaT’s breakthrough offers a pathway toward renewal.
Now, more than ever, Ghana must rise to support science-driven action, empower local institutions, and prioritise environmental recovery for future generations.
Our rivers can live again — but only if we choose to act.
