A total of 453 personnel from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources’ Blue Water Initiative have successfully completed a rigorous four-week training program at the Ghana Navy Forward Base in Ezilibo, located in the Jomoro District of the Western Region.
The trainees, known as Blue Water Guards, underwent a comprehensive training process that included theoretical, physical, and practical components.
They are set to be deployed within a week to assist the Ghana Navy in protecting the nation’s major rivers from illegal miners, commonly referred to as galamseyers.
This first batch of 453 officers is part of a broader plan to deploy a total of 2,000 guards. They will be strategically positioned along key river systems, including the Ankobra, Pra, Fia, Tano, and Bonsa Rivers.
The Blue Water Guards’ activities will be coordinated through five Naval Operational Bases, established along the river systems to ensure effective monitoring and rapid response.
Launched on Monday, March 17, the Blue Water Guard Initiative aims to establish continuous surveillance of Ghana’s water bodies.
It is a strategic effort to combat illegal mining, protect the environment, and restore the country’s increasingly polluted water resources.