Good Plan But The Guards Will Be ‘Compromised’ – Prof. Osafo On Govt’s ‘Blue Water Guard’ Initiative
Professor Joseph Osafo has commended the government over its “Blue Water Guard” initiative to fight galamsey.
This initiative is aimed at training thousands of Ghanaian youth to guard the water bodies.
At least 2,000 Ghanaian youth are expected to undergo rigorous training by the Ghana Navy Riverine Command under the auspices of the Minerals Commission and be equipped with the expertise to combat illegal mining operations on river bodies.
The first batch of 460 trainees are to be deployed to the galamsey communities and begin their whistleblowing duties among other responsibilities.
“The Blue Water Initiative is our response—a comprehensive strategy to safeguard our water bodies and promote sustainable practices”, Lands Minister, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah said during the launch of the initiative.
Contributing to Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo” show, Prof. Joseph Osafo, the Director for Center for Aging Studies at the University of Ghana, believed this initiative will help in combatting this mining menace, however he shared little concerns.
He wondered how faithful these guards are or will be in executing their duties without being financially induced by the illegal miners.
“It’s a very good initiative but they will be compromised” , he said and admonished the guards to be disciplined as they go to protect the river bodies.
Source: Ghmessenger.com
