The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has noted that the government’s Blue Water Guards initiative has helped to improve water quality in districts where personnel have been deployed to tackle illegal mining along rivers and streams.
According to him, communities operating under the programme have recorded improvements in their water systems since the deployment of the guards.
He made the remarks on Friday during the passing-out ceremony for 452 newly trained Blue Water Guards at the Naval Base in Ezinlibo in the Western Region.
He described the initiative as part of the government’s response to illegal mining activities that continue to destroy forests and pollute water bodies across the country.
“Our gathering here today is not merely ceremonial. It is a bold declaration of our collective determination to defend the natural heritage of our country from the destructive effects of illegal mining activities,” he said.
The minister charged the recruits to carry out their duties with professionalism, integrity and patriotism.
He said the guards would be responsible for conducting routine patrols along rivers, monitoring illegal mining activities, identifying and reporting illegal mining sites and supporting public education campaigns in affected communities.
Mr Buah urged the public to support efforts to protect the country’s water bodies, stressing that the fight against illegal mining should not be left to the government and the Blue Water Guards alone.
The graduation ceremony marked the fourth batch of the programme, increasing the total number of trained and deployed Blue Water Guards nationwide to 2,071.
The Blue Water Guards initiative was introduced in March 2025 to help curb illegal mining activities along rivers and streams.
Irene Wirekoaa Osei, ISD
