Restoring Waterbodies To Their Original State: Japanese Scientists Here To Clean Galamsey Polluted Rivers

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has pledged the government’s unflinching support for two Japanese Scientists-Atsushi Umeda, president, Trendy Science Company Limited, and Tomihisha Ohta, (Ph.D), a Professor Emeritus at Kanazawa University- in their bid to clean Galamsey polluted rivers in the country.

The duo is currently in Ghana after conducting a research on the country’s polluted water bodies.

At their courtesy call on the Vice President recently, they indicated they had the technology to clean the affected rivers, having conducted a thorough research.

The Vice President expressed happiness about the initiative and pledged that government would rally behind them in their quest to restore the waters to its original state.

In 2017 and 2018, a Japan-based Ghanaian scholar Professor Kwasi Kyei Amoabeng met with President Akufo-Addo in Tokyo and briefed him on the water pollution caused by Galamsey after sending a report to Japan for research.

Consequently, the president gave him a listening ear and instructed him to go ahead with the initiative, and come out with his findings.

But the initiative was suspended midway, which prompted Ghanaian businessman and former Ghana Football Association (GFA) Vice President, George Afriyie and his associate, David Boateng, to lead the Japanese team to visit Ghana for the first time.

Already, the team has met with the Minister of Water Resources Cecilia Dapaah, Ghana Gas CEO, Dr. Ben Asante, whose outfit was a victim of Galamsey activity when it affected some of their laid pipes.

The team has also met with the head of Noguchi Memorial Institute, Professor Dorothy Kyerewah Yeboah-Manu, Director, NMIMR, Deputy Director, Chief Research Scientist, Water Research Institute, CSIR -WRI, Dr Anthony Yaw Karijari and other stakeholders.

The team have also visited places like Ada Volta Lake, Birim River, River Prah and other sites.

They are expected to return to Ghana soon to begin work on the affected water bodies.