President John Dramani Mahama has launched a new initiative to combat illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey using party boys.
This comes after he promised to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to fight the menace if elected President.
The President had promised to use technology to fight illegal mining but he appears to have shifted the gear engaging jobless NDC activists.
The new initiative, dubbed “Blue Water Initiative,” aims to equip 2,000 youth with the skills and knowledge necessary to safeguard Ghana’s river bodies effectively.
The first phase of the project involves 400 young Ghanaian men and women undergoing training by the Ghana Navy Riverine Command under the auspices of the Minerals Commission.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, who outdoored the task force in the Western Region, said the initiative is a comprehensive strategy to safeguard Ghana’s water bodies and promote sustainable practices.
“Our rivers are more than just bodies of water; they are the lifelines of our communities. They provide drinking water, support agriculture, sustain fisheries, drive tourism, and facilitate transportation. Yet, the selfish actions of illegal miners are robbing us of these vital resources,” he said.
Kofi Buah emphasized the importance of the initiative, stating that “the protection of our river bodies is being entrusted to you. You can not afford to be complacent or irresponsible in the discharge of your duties.”
He also called for a collective effort to address the menace of illegal mining, saying, “The success of the Blue Water Guards hinges on the support of every Ghanaian.
This is not just a government initiative; it is a national call to action. We must all play our part in protecting our water resources.”
Public Fights
However, this new initiative has raised eyebrows, given John Mahama’s previous promises to fight galamsey with AI.
Critics have raised concerns that the said youth are members of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, who have been trained within three weeks to embark on such deadly operations, which the Military and the Police Officers weren’t able to defeat.
Some expressed worry that it’s an agenda by the NDC government to create jobs for the unemployed party members to earn their daily bread since most of the illegal miners are alleged to be kingpins of the NDC.
In May 2024, John Dramani Mahama promised to deploy AI to help fight illegal mining activities if he was elected president.
“We will use AI to locate all small-scale mining and galamsey operations, track excavators, and geofence all concessions to help coordinate and monitor activities within the small-scale mining sector to reduce environmental destruction,” he said.
In 2013, Mahama, in his first term as President, set up an inter-ministerial task force to arrest and prosecute illegal miners, but the task force was eventually disbanded after it failed to achieve its objectives
Concerns
However, Daryl Bosu, Deputy National Director of A Rocha Ghana, has expressed concern over Mahama’s outdooring party boys who were only trained for three weeks to combat the illegal mining that soldiers and police officers weren’t able to win.
In a statement, he noted, “We don’t see the strategy as going to be effective; we wish that it was scrapped entirely. What exactly are they going to do? Are they going to do anything different from what past administrations have done?”
Daryl Bosu also emphasized that the government should redirect resources into empowering residents in mining communities to report miners encroaching on these sites.
-BY Issah Olegor
