Lands Minister Deploys 3rd Batch of Blue Water Guards to Battle Galamsey
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has inaugurated a third group of 636 Blue Water Guards as part of the government’s sustained campaign to curb illegal mining, with the personnel assigned to the Central, Ashanti and Eastern Regions and other identified hotspots. At their graduation ceremony held on Saturday, December 20, at Jomoro, the Minister explained that this batch is expected to work alongside security agencies to strengthen the national response to galamsey, stressing that protecting the environment remains a key state priority despite progress already made. He urged the recruits to serve with integrity, commitment and patriotism, and to resist all forms of inducement. The Ashanti Regional Minister, who attended the event at the Ezinlibo Naval Base, reaffirmed his administration’s backing for the initiative and noted that the fight against illegal mining is not meant to undermine livelihoods but to promote responsible mining practices. In a media interaction, the Lands Ministry’s Media Relations Officer, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, disclosed that the Blue Water Guards have been providing critical intelligence support to the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat, significantly boosting operational outcomes. To date, more than 1,600 guards have been trained and deployed nationwide, with further recruitment planned, as government remains confident that the programme will contribute to restoring polluted rivers and water bodies damaged by unregulated mining.
