Today, Friday, May 15, 2026, the fourth group of Blue Water Guards is scheduled to be commissioned at the Ezinlibo Naval Base in the Western Region by Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.
This is a component of the government’s stepped-up attempts to stop illicit mining, or “galamsey.”
Before the guards are formally deployed to different galamsey hotspots around the nation, the Minister will give a speech. The ceremony will start with an inspection of a parade led by the recently trained recruits.
In order to aid the government’s anti-illegal mining campaign, the Blue Water Guards initiative was launched in March 2025. Its main goal is to shield Ghana’s water bodies from contamination and damage brought on by illicit mining operations.
Since the program’s inception, over 1,600 participants have received training and been assigned to support law enforcement efforts against illicit mining operators by gathering intelligence.
The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), which relies on timely intelligence to track and disrupt illegal mining operations, has greatly benefited from the efforts of the Blue Water Guards, according to a statement released by Paa Kwesi Schandorf, Spokesperson for the Lands Ministry.
The most recent round of recruits is anticipated to enhance surveillance along rivers and other bodies of water susceptible to galamsey activity and support existing operations in mining-prone areas.
Under President John Dramani Mahama’s leadership, the government claims that the Blue Water Guards program’s ongoing growth shows its dedication to combating illicit mining and safeguarding the nation’s natural resources.