As part of the government’s effort to mitigate the adverse effects of illegal mining on the environment, 20 Blue Water Guards have been deployed to the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality to protect water bodies in the area.
The Western Regional Manager of the Minerals Commission, Mr. Francis Annobil Jr., disclosed this during a community engagement session that was held on Thursday at Prestea to officially unveil the guards to the members of the communities in which they would be working.
According to Mr Annobil Jr., the Blue Water Guards Project was adopted to protect the water bodies against the adverse effects of illegal mining.
He revealed that a total of 453 Blue Water Guards have undergone a month-long intensive training at the Ghana Naval Base in Sekondi, adding that 2000 personnel are expected to be trained nationwide.
Mr Annobil Jr. noted that it would take the collective effort of all to win the fight against illegal mining, saying, “This task is not for the police, government, military, MCE, MP, or the Minerals Commission alone; everyone, including the small-scale miners association and traditional leaders, must be involved.”
On his part, the Member of Parliament for Prestea Huni Valley, Hon. Robert Wisdom Cudjoe, clarified that the deployment of the guards was not an attempt to collapse mining in the district but to ensure responsible and sustainable mining practices.
“The Blue Water Guards are here to support those who are registered and mining responsibly. I encourage all unregistered miners to use the right channels to regularize their operations,” he stated.
He also urged the guards to work diligently to help restore and preserve the municipality’s water bodies.
The Deputy Manager of the Minerals Commission in charge of Community Relations, Mr. Steven Agbo, said the guards are expected to monitor activities on and around water bodies, report infractions, and advise miners.
He stressed that mining must be done more than 100 meters away from water bodies and 500 meters from human settlements. Mr. Agbo also noted that soldiers would soon be deployed to support the guards’ operations.
“These guards are not here to intimidate residents. They are here to protect our resources. Let’s all cooperate with them,” he assured.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Matthew Ayeh, also cautioned the guards against using their positions to extort money from miners, noting that the Assembly and the Police Commander will closely monitor their operations.
“You must work as a team and avoid going to unauthorized locations alone. We will support you in identifying additional legal income sources to reduce the temptation of corrupt practices,” the MCE admonished them.
