Asokore-mampong: Mr. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, has announced that the Blue Water Guard initiative introduced by the government is delivering positive outcomes. The initiative's steadfast guards are effectively undermining the operational framework of illegal miners, especially in the water and river bodies across communities.
According to Ghana News Agency, in a speech read on his behalf during the inauguration of 21 Blue Water Guards in the Asokore-Mampong Municipality, Mr. Buah expressed pride in the progress made by the guards in safeguarding river and water bodies. He urged the guards to avoid actions that could undermine the initiative's objectives and to adhere strictly to the principles guiding their operations wherever they are deployed.
The Blue Water Guard initiative aims to equip more than 2,000 Ghanaian youths with the skills and knowledge to protect the nation's rivers and water bodies affected by illegal mining, known locally as galamsey. The initiative also seeks to establish a sustainable community-driven surveillance system dedicated to the continuous protection and restoration of these water bodies.
Mr. Buah highlighted the severe impact of illegal mining activities, which contaminate water bodies through the processing of soil and crushed stones near waterways. This situation necessitates focused intervention, as it leads to pervasive pollution of rivers and streams, threatening human health and livelihoods that depend on clean water sources.
Equipped with training in surveillance, survival swimming, boat handling, and basic combat techniques, the minister expressed confidence in the guards' ability to effectively fulfill their mandate. The Blue Water Guards are expected to collaborate closely with the Ghana Navy and the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations (NAIMOS) to achieve their goals.
Mr. Ben Abdullah Alhassan, Asokore-Mampong Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), encouraged the guards to carry out their responsibilities with diligence, integrity, and unwavering commitment. He emphasized that such an approach would help realize the President's vision of achieving zero pollution in water bodies.
Dignitaries attending the inauguration included Mr. Steven Agbo of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. Dela Edem, Head of Corporate Communications at the ministry, and Mr. Kobby Boamah, Executive Assistant (Support Services), among others.