Minister-Designate proposes water guards to replace military in fight against galamsey

Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Minister-Designate for Lands and Natural Resources, has announced plans under President Mahama’s administration to introduce water guards to replace the military in the fight against illegal mining, commonly referred to as ‘galamsey.’

He explained that the permanent deployment of military personnel to protect rivers and water bodies is both costly and unsustainable. Instead, he proposed water guards, whose primary responsibility would be safeguarding forest reserves and water bodies.

Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee on January 27, Armah-Kofi Buah acknowledged the significant contributions of security agencies in combating illegal mining under previous administrations.

However, he stressed the need for a more sustainable and efficient strategy.

“We’re already aware of the efforts of the security services, especially when it comes to our polluted waters. Today, as we speak, the state of our rivers is nothing to write home about. The police and the military have played a critical role. If I get a chance as a minister, we’re going to evaluate the new programme. For example, I have very new, exciting ideas about what to do with the protection of our environment,” he remarked.

Armah-Kofi Buah noted that the costs and limitations of relying on military interventions have become apparent. He explained that while military efforts to clear illegal miners have been effective temporarily, the miners often return within a short time.

“One of the problems I got to know was that it’s not cheap to get the military to continue permanently in these locations. It used to be that they would come to a place and clear everybody [illegal miners], and for 6 months nobody would be there. Now, they come, clear, and within one month they come back. So we have to think about new ideas,” he said.

He further elaborated on his vision for water guards, comparing their potential role to that of forest guards.

“We have forest guards, what about water guards? So these ideas are going to be thought through,” he stated.

Armah-Kofi Buah’s proposal highlights a shift towards a more focused and cost-effective approach in tackling illegal mining and protecting Ghana’s natural resources.

The introduction of water guards is expected to be part of broader measures aimed at preserving the country’s rivers and water bodies.

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