The Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Nana Ama Brown Klutse, says an estimated $35 million will be needed to fully rehabilitate the Birim River, which has been heavily contaminated by illegal mining operations.
She made this known during an interview at the pilot deployment of ionic nano copper technology at Kyebi-Adukrom in the Eastern Region on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
Prof Klutse noted that although the pilot project has already led to noticeable improvements in sections of the river that have been treated, expanding the intervention to cover the entire Birim River would demand substantial financial resources.
She explained that approximately $200,000 is required to acquire enough of the ionic nano copper technology to restore just one kilometre of a flowing river. With the Birim River stretching about 175 kilometres, the overall cost of rehabilitation is therefore projected at $35 million.
“It took us about $200,000 to procure an amount that will clean one kilometre of every flowing river body. The Birim River is about 175 kilometres, so you can do the mathematics, we are talking about $35 million,” she stated in an interview with Chanel One TV.
The Birim River has experienced severe environmental damage in recent years due to illegal mining activities, leading to declining water quality, destruction of aquatic life, and limited access to safe water for communities living along the river’s course.
