The Greater Amanzule River, which meanders through Azulenloanu, Bakanta and Sanzule in the Ellembelle District, has recovered from pollution by small-scale mining activities, popularly called galamsey.
This follows months of joint monitoring, patrols and policing of river bodies in the area by the Blue Water Guards, the Minerals Commission and the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS).
Mr Stephen Afena, Ellembelle District Coordinator of the Blue Water Guards Initiative, disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Ampain in the Western Region.
On assumption of office as Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah inaugurated the Blue Water Guards Initiative to serve as vanguards against illegal mining activities in Ghana’s water bodies.
Mr Afena said the joint operations had intensified monitoring and policing along the water bodies, which led to a total clampdown on activities of illegal miners.
He said their operations led to the arrest, seizure and destruction of machines and equipment used for illegal mining.
The Ellembelle District Coordinator said the presence of the Guards had deterred many of the illegal miners in their hideouts, thereby exposing their activities to NAIMOS and the police to raid most of their camps.
He advised the illegal miners to embrace sustainable mining such as the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP) introduced by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in place of galamsey.
According to him, the Greater Amanzule River had been very stable for a long time in recent months without pollution.
He told the GNA that the joint task force would intensify operations to further clamp down on illegal mining activities in the area.
Source: GNA
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