Lawyer Kwaku Afari
The Wassa Association of Communities Affected by Mining (WACAM) has called on the government to provide further clarity on the mandate of the recently inaugurated Blue Water Guards.
It would be recalled that the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, recently launched the water guards to among other things help combat illegal mining in water bodies and restore the country’s polluted rivers.
The over 400 guards are currently undergoing specialised training at the Ghana Navy Forward Operating Base in Ezilebo, in the Jomoro Municipality of the Western Region.
However, WACAM is calling for clarity on the mandate of the government’s newly constituted water guards.
In a radio interview, Lawyer Kwaku Afari, Technical Director of WACAM, stressed the need to avoid repeating past measures that yielded little or no results.
“We welcome and support any approach that enforces the law.
“However, with the introduction of these guards, I think it would be proper for the government to provide citizens with clarity on how this group will operate differently from those in the past,” he stated.
He further questioned the scope of the guards’ operations.
“Are they going to protect water bodies or concessions already allocated for mining? Will they prevent mining activities, or will they only target illegal operations?” he quizzed.
He noted that the issue is not just about legal or illegal mining; it also involves all forms of irresponsible mining, even by licensed companies.
“I don’t believe the solution is about being radical. The real question is: how committed are we to addressing the problem?
“If the commitment is there, we already have the necessary laws though some may be weak.
“I believe that the commitment to address the menace is not just the radical approach of using the security, let us also look at the laws as well,” he pointed out.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi