The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has commissioned the third batch of 636 Blue Water Guards as part of the government’s ongoing efforts to combat illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.

The newly trained personnel will be deployed to the Central, Ashanti and Eastern Regions, as well as other identified flashpoints where illegal mining activities remain prevalent.

Speaking at the passing-out ceremony held at Jomoro on Saturday, December 20, the Minister said the third cohort of Blue Water Guards will continue to complement the work of security agencies in the national fight against galamsey.

He stressed that the protection of Ghana’s environment and water bodies remains a top priority for the government, adding that sustained measures will be implemented to curb environmental destruction caused by illegal mining.

While acknowledging some successes chalked up so far, Mr. Buah said more work remains and urged the new recruits to discharge their duties with dedication, patriotism, and integrity, cautioning them against any form of compromise.

The Ashanti Regional Minister, who attended the ceremony at the Ezinlibo Naval Base, pledged his support for the initiative and reaffirmed his commitment to working closely with the Lands Minister to make galamsey a thing of the past.

He emphasised that the fight against illegal mining is not an attack on livelihoods and encouraged Ghanaians to embrace the government’s responsible mining programmes.

Addressing the media after the event, the Media Relations Officer at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Paa Kwesi Schandorf, said the Blue Water Guards have been actively supporting operations of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) across the country.

According to him, intelligence provided daily by the Blue Water Guards has significantly contributed to the success of NAIMOS operations. He made the remarks in an interview with Channel One News anchor, Charles Kumi.

So far, more than 1,600 Blue Water Guards have been trained and deployed nationwide, with government expected to recruit additional personnel in the coming months.

The government believes the initiative will play a critical role in restoring polluted water bodies that have been severely degraded by illegal mining activities.