The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has declared an unwavering commitment by the Blue Water Guards to protect Ghana's water resources against all forms of illegal activities.

According to the minister, the government’s Blue Water Guards initiative is recording significant impact, with positive results being witnessed in the fight against illegal mining along the country’s rivers and streams.

He made this declaration during the graduation ceremony of four hundred and fifty-two (452) newly trained guards at the Naval Base at Ezinlibo in the Jomoro Municipality of the Western Region on Friday, May 15, 2026.

"Almost every district where we have deployed Blue Water Guards has witnessed an improvement in our water systems," he stated.

Addressing the recruits, the minister described the initiative as one of the government’s strongest responses to illegal mining and the destruction of forests and water bodies.

"Our gathering here today is not merely ceremonial. It is a bold declaration of our collective determination to defend the natural heritage of our country from the destructive effects of illegal mining activities," he said.

He reminded the newly graduated personnel of their responsibilities, which include conducting routine patrols along rivers, monitoring illegal mining activities, identifying and reporting illegal mining sites, and supporting public education campaigns in affected communities.

The minister urged the guards to discharge their duties with professionalism, integrity, and patriotism, and appealed to Ghanaians to support efforts to protect the country’s water bodies, stressing that the fight against illegal mining should not be left to the government and the Blue Water Guards alone.

The graduation marks the fourth batch of the Blue Water Guards programme and brings the total number of trained and deployed personnel nationwide to 2,071.

The government introduced the Blue Water Guards initiative in March 2025 as part of measures to combat illegal mining activities along rivers and streams.