The government is set to deploy 530 newly trained Blue Water Guards this week as part of a nationwide effort to tackle illegal mining and help restore Ghana’s polluted rivers. The deployment, scheduled for Friday, July 25, 2025, will bring the total number of trained personnel under the initiative to over 1,000.
Speaking at a press conference nicknamed “Government Accountability Series” on Wednesday [July 23, 2025] the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, said the Blue Water Guards will operate as a non-confrontational, intelligence-led force to protect water bodies from further damage caused by illegal mining.
Mr Buah explained that the Blue Water Initiative was launched within the first 120 days of the current administration and forms part of the government’s plans to address galamsey and improve environmental protection.
“The deployment strategy is community-centred. These officers work closely with local people to raise awareness while quietly gathering intelligence on environmental threats,” Mr Buah said.
He announced that the second phase of the programme will begin shortly. It will involve what he called the “de-chemicalisation” of polluted rivers; removing harmful substances and gradually restoring water bodies to cleaner conditions.
The government has set a target to train 2,000 Blue Water Guards by the end of 2025.
Although the impact of illegal mining continues to be felt in communities along the Pra, Ankobra, and Offin rivers, the Ministry says early feedback from the first phase of the deployment points to increased community cooperation and intelligence sharing.
“We are beginning to see real behavioural change where Blue Water Guards have been deployed,” Mr Buah said. “This is not just enforcement. This is national renewal.”
The Blue Water Initiative is one of several natural resource and environmental programmes being rolled out by the Ministry. Others include the Tree for Life reforestation campaign, the Responsible Cooperative Mining scheme, and reforms in land administration services.
Source: Graphic Online
