The Government of Ghana has intensified its fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, with the graduation and deployment of 452 new Blue Water Guards trained at the Western Naval Command in Ezinlibo, in the Jomoro Municipality.
The initiative, led by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in collaboration with the Minerals Commission and the Ghana Navy, is aimed at protecting the country’s rivers and water bodies from pollution and destruction caused by illegal mining activities.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony on Friday, Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah said the Blue Water Guards programme has now expanded into a nationwide environmental protection force operating across eight regions and more than 100 districts heavily affected by galamsey.
According to the minister, over 1,600 trained personnel have so far been deployed to monitor river bodies, report illegal mining activities, support enforcement operations and educate communities on environmental protection.
The latest batch underwent intensive theoretical and field training under the supervision of the Ghana Navy to prepare them for surveillance and operations in difficult riverine environments.
Commander Samuel Kwaku Boateng-Asiedu, Acting Naval Base Commander at Ezinlibo, disclosed that 460 recruits initially began the training programme, but 452 successfully completed the course after meeting all operational and physical requirements.
The Blue Water Guards are expected to work closely with security agencies, traditional authorities and local communities to safeguard major rivers including the Pra, Ankobra, Tano, Bonsa and Fia from illegal mining activities.
Government says the programme forms part of broader efforts to restore polluted water bodies and strengthen the national crackdown on illegal mining across the country.
