Member of Parliament for Atwima Kwawonma, Kofi Amankwah Manu, has expressed skepticism over the newly introduced Blue Water Guards, suggesting that the initiative is merely a ploy to create jobs for National Democratic Congress (NDC) foot soldiers rather than a genuine effort to combat illegal mining.
The Blue Water Guards, launched on Monday, March 17, by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Kofi Amarh Buah, is a special task force aimed at protecting Ghana’s water bodies from the harmful effects of illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
However, speaking in Parliament on Thursday, March 20, Amankwah Manu cast doubt on the initiative’s ability to curb galamsey, arguing that even past operations involving military intervention failed to produce meaningful results.
“Mr. Speaker, the Blue Water Guard cannot be an avenue for providing employment for foot soldiers. No! We are putting the lives of these young ones at risk. They are Ghanaians.
“We cannot take delight in dressing them up in white t-shirts over Adidas slacks to go there, parade them as Blue Water Guard. Mr. Speaker, we used the military. Yes! We did not get the results that we all wanted,” he stated.
He urged the government to adopt a more strategic and militarized approach to tackling illegal mining rather than relying on what he perceives as an ineffective task force.
