Minister urges Blue Water Guards to lead fight against water pollution

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, has charged Blue Water Guards to take the lead in protecting the country’s rivers and streams from pollution and illegal mining activities.

Speaking at the passing-out ceremony of 636 Blue Water Guards in the Western Region last Saturday, the minister urged the graduates to regard their deployment as a national duty, describing them as vanguards entrusted with safeguarding the country’s water bodies for the benefit of present and future generations.

“We need to turn our waters blue again through community participation and youth empowerment. I am happy to report that so far, about 1,700 Blue Water Guards have been trained across nearly seven regions of the country,” the minister said.

The passing-out ceremony at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Ezinlibo in the Jomoro District was the third batch under the initiative, where young people are trained by the Ghana Navy to help combat illegal mining (galamsey) and pollution in the country's rivers by providing surveillance, intelligence and community engagement.

The guards are to serve as the eyes and ears of the Ghana Navy as the country works to restore its water bodies.

The guards are training in surveillance, boat handling and basic combat work to gather intelligence and disrupt mining operations. However, they are primarily to report to the Navy rather than directly engaging in confrontations.

The programme aims to deploy hundreds of guards to protect major rivers such as the Ankobra, Pra and Tano across the mining regions.

Also in attendance was the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, who leads one of the regions most affected by illegal mining activities.

He commended President John Dramani Mahama and the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources for their foresight in establishing the initiative.

“We must see this call to duty beyond the ordinary; we must be part of history that we fought and rid the country of these illegalities.

“I urge you to conduct yourselves as disciplined patriots with integrity, professionalism and respect for the rule of law to protect the interest of the nation and the generation yet unborn,” Dr Amoakohene said. 
 
He further highlighted the government's cooperative mining scheme as a fair pathway for citizens to engage in legal mining, warning that those who choose to operate outside the law will face the full rigours of the law.

The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Maxwell Y. A. Klu, also congratulated the graduates, describing the passing out of the third batch as a remarkable milestone in Ghana’s efforts to safeguard its marine and water resources.

He stated that the training had equipped the Blue Water Guards with the skills and knowledge needed to combat illegal mining and promote responsible and sustainable mining.

Mr Klu reaffirmed the Minerals Commission’s commitment, as the regulator of the mining sector, to ensure a sustainable environment.

“I assure the graduates that the commission will continue to provide regulatory support, technical guidance and oversight to ensure the success of the Blue Water Guard programme to ensure sanity and protect the environment,” he added.

Mr Klu urged the guards to remember that they were part of history and a prestigious national team working to preserve the natural heritage and contribute meaningfully to national development.