The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has significantly ramped up its offensive against illegal mining (galamsey) with the commissioning of 636 additional personnel into the Blue Water Guards initiative.

This latest deployment bolsters the national frontline force to a total of 1,700 trained guards, creating a formidable shield around Ghana’s heavily polluted river bodies.

The announcement was made during a high-profile passing-out ceremony for the third batch of recruits held on Saturday, December 12, 2025, at the Ghana Navy Forward Operating Base in Ezilebo.

The choice of venue—a strategic military installation in the Western Region—underscores the security-centred approach the government is taking to reclaim the nation’s "blue" resources from galamsey operators.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, revealed that the guards are now operational across seven key regions.

These regions are the hardest hit by illegal alluvial mining, where rivers such as the Pra, Ankobra, and Birim have suffered years of mercury and silt contamination.

The minister characterised the initiative as a "critical frontline force" that has moved beyond mere monitoring to active disruption of illegal operations.

“The Blue Water Guards have become a critical frontline force in the fight against water pollution. They are working tirelessly to disrupt illegal mining activities along our rivers and streams,” the minister stated.

The Blue Water Guards work in close coordination with the Ghana Navy and the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations (NAIMOS).

Their primary mandate involves 24-hour surveillance of water bodies, the destruction of illegal "changfan" machines, and the arrest of individuals found mining within river buffers.

Mr Armah-Kofi Buah expressed immense pride in the progress made since the initiative's inception, noting that the persistence of the guards is effectively choking the business model of illegal miners.

“So far, we have trained about 1,700 Blue Water Guards across nearly seven regions. We are very proud of the pioneers who began this work. They are standing in the way of galamsey operators and making their activities increasingly difficult. We will remain resolute and continue this fight until our waters are restored,” he added.

The graduation of this third batch comes at a time of heightened public demand for environmental accountability. Recent comments from civil society leaders, such as IMANI Africa’s Franklin Cudjoe, have called for strict Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for sector ministers to ensure these deployments translate into clear water.

Responding to these calls for long-term commitment, the minister reaffirmed that the government is not merely deploying personnel but is committed to resourcing them with modern technology—including drones and satellite monitoring—to stay ahead of mining syndicates.