By James Amoh Junior
Accra, Oct. 22, GNA – The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has held discussions with the Managing Director of Ghana Water Limited (GWL), Mr Adam Mutawakilu, on deepening collaboration between the two institutions to protect the nation’s water bodies and ensure sustainable water production.
The meeting, held in Accra on Wednesday, focused on the shared challenges facing the water and natural resources sectors, particularly the devastating impact of illegal mining (galamsey) on rivers and streams that serve as raw water sources for domestic and industrial supply.
Mr Buah said the Government was fully committed to protecting water resources and restoring the natural environment through targeted reforms, enforcement, and innovative initiatives, including the “Tree for Life” afforestation project and the newly launched “Blue Water Guards” programme.
He said the “Tree for Life” initiative, launched by President John Dramani Mahama in the Ashanti Region, sought to restore degraded landscapes while creating jobs for young people.
“We have created what we call the Blue Water Guards, patriotic young Ghanaians who believe it is wrong to destroy our rivers and are acting as first responders and intelligence officers to protect them,” he said.
According to the Minister, the Blue Water Guards were already making a difference by helping to identify and dismantle illegal mining operations along riverbanks.
He said, “You ride along some of these rivers, and you see the devastation — people with machines in the water, poisoning the rivers. But now, the Blue Water Guards are fighting back. They are our defenders of the nation’s water.”
Mr Buah disclosed that the Ministry was introducing sweeping reforms in the mining sector to tackle the root causes of illegal mining and its attendant environmental impact.
He said the Government had completed a national review of small-scale mining licenses, revoking more than 300 due to irregularities.
“We are overhauling the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703). By next year, we expect to have a new law that ensures transparency and community participation in the licensing process. No one should sit in Accra and issue a mining license for an area they’ve never visited. Local mining committees must endorse every license,” he said.
He added that the Ministry was also strengthening enforcement through the use of technology.
The Minister explained that “the Ministry has introduced tracking devices and geo-fencing systems for excavators to ensure they operate only within licensed zones. If an excavator moves into a restricted water body, our control system will alert security forces for immediate action.”
Mr Buah emphasised that while gold mining remained a vital part of Ghana’s economy, it must be done responsibly and sustainably.
According to him, “Mining sustains our economy, but we must do it in a way that protects our forests, lives, and water bodies for future generations.”
The Ministry, he said, was promoting the concept of “Responsible Cooperatives” – groups of small-scale miners trained to operate legally and sustainably.
For his part, Mr Adam Mutawakilu, MD, Ghana Water Ltd, commended the Ministry’s ongoing efforts, noting that recent interventions were already showing positive results in improving water quality at some treatment plants.
“Yes, it’s getting better. For instance, at Kwanyako, we are back to full capacity, and we can feel that through the consistency and effort you have put in. In the near future, the water bodies will recover, and Ghana Water will be able to supply safe water to all,” he said.
However, the MD drew attention to the lingering challenges of siltation and salinity at raw water intakes, which continued to affect operations at several treatment facilities.
He explained that “Some of our intakes have become heavily silted, and we use submersible pumps that are deep down. The clean water sits at the surface, but the pumps can’t reach it. We have to re-engineer and lift them closer to the surface to treat clean water.”
Mr Mutawakilu warned that if siltation at the intakes was not urgently addressed, it could lead to severe water shortages during the dry season.
He said: “With heavy silt at the intakes, the reservoirs are likely to dry up, and when that happens, many communities will run out of water.”
The MD expressed GWL’s readiness to partner with the Ministry to find sustainable solutions, including desilting major raw water sources, enforcing mining regulations, and educating communities on the importance of protecting water bodies.
GNA
Edited by Christian Akorlie