Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has announced that the second phase of the government’s flagship Blue Water Initiative will zero in on reversing the chemical pollution of Ghana’s rivers and streams caused by illegal mining activities.
Speaking during a sectoral update on Wednesday, July 23, Mr. Buah revealed that feasibility studies are already in progress to kickstart this ambitious next phase, which is aimed at restoring polluted water bodies to their natural state.
“The second phase of the Blue Water Initiative will focus on de-chemicalising the water bodies to restore them to their pristine conditions. Feasibility studies are steadily underway,” Mr. Buah stated.
The Blue Water Initiative, introduced within the government’s first 120 days in office, has emerged as a key strategy in the fight against illegal small-scale mining, or galamsey, which has wreaked havoc on Ghana’s natural water systems.
Under the first phase, the Ministry has trained and deployed more than 450 personnel known as Blue Water Guards to monitor and protect vulnerable water bodies. Mr. Buah disclosed that an additional 530 officers are scheduled to graduate on Friday, July 25, which will raise the number of deployed personnel to 980.
“The target is to train 2,000 personnel by the end of the year,” he noted.
The Blue Water Guards operate differently from traditional enforcement units. Rather than relying on force, they focus on gathering intelligence and working hand-in-hand with local communities to raise awareness about the environmental destruction caused by illegal mining.
“They act as intelligence officers and also engage with local communities to raise awareness about the importance of environmental conservation and the negative impacts of illegal mining,” the Minister explained.
Mr. Buah stressed that the government’s broader objective is not only to protect water resources but to restore them for future generations. The second phase of the Blue Water Initiative signals a more advanced and technical approach, targeting the chemical damage that has contaminated rivers and streams across the country.
The Minister reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to environmental sustainability and announced that further updates will be provided as the programme expands nationwide.
