A study has revealed that Ghana's wetlands would face further degradation in the coming decades.
The research also uncovered a significant expansion of urban settlements around the Densu, Sakumo and Muni wetlands over the years.
It detected elevated concentrations of heavy metals, including lead, arsenic and cadmium, in some locations, exceeding recommended guideline values.
The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS)-funded research project at the National Nuclear Research Institute (NNRI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) also revealed growing environmental pressures on some of the country’s most important wetlands.
Visit
The findings were made known when a delegation from TWAS, a programme unit of UNESCO, visited NNRI to assess the impact of the TWAS Seed Grant for New African Principal Investigators (SG-NAPI) programme that supported the study.
The delegation, led by Associate Programme Officer, Payal Patel, accompanied by Public Information Officer, Giovanni Ortolani, and Programme Officer Memoth Kanniakonil, visited NNRI to evaluate the scientific, institutional and societal outcomes of a research project led by Dr Cynthia Laar, Senior Research Scientist and Manager of the Water Resources Research Centre (WRRC) at NNRI.
Dr Laar was among the first cohort of African scientists selected for the highly competitive SG-NAPI programme, which supports promising early-career researchers across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Her project investigated the long-term ecohydrological status and sustainability of the Densu and Sakumo wetlands, two ecologically significant Ramsar sites in Ghana.
“The scientific evidence generated through this research can support policy interventions aimed at protecting these ecosystems and ensuring sustainable water resource management," Dr Laar said.
Wetlands play a critical role in supporting biodiversity, regulating water systems, controlling floods and sustaining livelihoods in surrounding communities.
Scientists warn that continued encroachment and pollution could undermine these ecological functions and increase environmental vulnerabilities.
Research support
According to Dr Laar, the TWAS grant enabled her team to acquire essential research equipment, train students, strengthen scientific collaborations and generate data that could inform environmental policy and management decisions.
“The support from TWAS provided the resources needed to undertake this important research and build scientific capacity within the institution,” she said.
The Director of NNRI, Prof. Samuel Yao Ganyaglo, described the visit as an opportunity to demonstrate how international research support could strengthen both scientific institutions and national development efforts.
He stated that external research funding remained critical for African scientists working to address development challenges through evidence-based research.
“Support for scientific research in many African countries remains limited. Grants such as those provided by TWAS help scientists generate evidence-based solutions to national problems and contribute meaningfully to policy development and socioeconomic transformation,” he said.
SG-NAPI programme
Speaking on the rationale behind the SG-NAPI programme, Ms Patel explained that the initiative was established to support talented African scientists returning home after completing doctoral studies abroad, enabling them to establish independent research careers.
“The purpose of this programme is to provide early-career scientists with the resources they need to establish themselves as independent researchers and build strong scientific careers in their home countries,” she said.
She said that the programme remained highly competitive, attracting about 300 applications annually from across Sub-Saharan Africa, while only 25 to 28 grants were awarded each year.
"In the five years of the programme, we have received more than 1,500 applications and funded only 137 scientists.
Ms Patel explained that the visit was intended not only to document scientific outputs but also to understand how research investments contribute to institutional development and societal benefits.
