Political Science lecturer and Policy Analyst, Dr. Joshua Jebuntie Zaato, has raised serious concerns about the government’s decision to introduce water guards to replace the military in the fight against illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
He believes that if illegal mining truly posed an existential threat to the country, then the government should have already declared a state of emergency instead of introducing a new unit that lacks the firepower of the military.
“We need to do this with some amount of emergency, some amount of alacrity like we need to go faster. What prevents His Excellency President Mahama from declaring a state of emergency today, this morning, this afternoon, this evening? What prevents him?”
Dr. Joshua Jebuntie Zaato, Political Science Lecturer and Policy Analyst
He emphasized that the previous administration had already paid the political price for its actions on galamsey and lost power. Now that a new government is in charge, he questioned why no decisive action had been taken immediately.
He acknowledged that Parliament was going through the necessary legislative processes but stressed that the executive had more immediate tools at its disposal.
He argued that the introduction of water guards did not reflect the urgency the government had previously attached to the fight against galamsey.
“My point is that where is the state of emergency that we were promised? And then instead of a state of emergency, we are told we are being given water guards. In fact, I will choose Maame Water over these river guards”
Dr. Joshua Jebuntie Zaato, Political Science Lecturer and Policy Analyst
Military Failure in Galamsey Fight
Dr. Zaato ridiculed the idea that water guards could succeed where the military had failed.
He pointed out that previous administrations had already deployed the Ghana Navy, the Air Force, and the Armed Forces, all of whom were well-equipped with advanced weaponry, yet they had not been able to eliminate galamsey.
“The Ghana Navy, armed with AK-47s and guns, has gone to the rivers, and they’ve not done it. The Ghana Air Force, armed with machine guns, helicopters, everything, has gone inside, and nothing. The Ghana Armed Forces, armed with the best of weapons, have gone into these forests, and they failed”
Dr. Joshua Jebuntie Zaato, Political Science Lecturer and Policy Analyst
He then questioned how a group of water guards, who would likely be under-equipped compared to the military, could accomplish what the highly trained armed forces could not.
“So you’re telling me that where the Ghana Armed Forces has failed, water guards will succeed?” he asked incredulously.
“Don’t Send Water Guards to Do the Work of the Army”
“Don’t send water guards to do the work of the army. The army is better prepared than them”
Dr. Joshua Jebuntie Zaato, Political Science Lecturer and Policy Analyst
Dr. Zaato heavily criticized the logic behind deploying unarmed water guards in the fight against illegal mining. He argued that the entire initiative seemed unrealistic and ineffective.
“to replace with water guards who are probably holding sticks as against the armed forces… It is so unreal. It’s so unreal that I don’t even know where to begin.”
He suggested that if the government were truly serious about addressing the galamsey issue, it would have been prominently highlighted. Instead, he accused the administration of stalling.
“All this shows that, look, you are just buying time,” he declared.
Government’s Lack of Urgency
Dr. Zaato blamed the government for what he described as unnecessary delays in taking effective action against illegal mining.
He insisted that policymakers had various tools at their disposal, yet they were not using them efficiently.
“This government has policy tools, policy instruments. One of them is declaring a state of emergency, because the moment you declare a state of emergency, you’re already declaring that the army can go inside”
Dr. Joshua Jebuntie Zaato, Political Science Lecturer and Policy Analyst
He also pointed out that while Parliament was engaged in lengthy legislative processes, the executive branch had the power to implement immediate interventions.
Changing Stances on Galamsey
When questioned about his past defense of the NPP government’s handling of illegal mining, Dr. Zaato responded by stating that the previous administration had paid the price for its shortcomings.
However, he maintained that governance was a continuous process, and the current government needed to act with urgency.
“The NPP has paid the ultimate price for not fighting galamsey,” he admitted.
However, he insisted that this did not absolve the current administration of its responsibility. He urged the government to use the tools at its disposal to take immediate action rather than relying on ineffective solutions.
Licensing and Regulations
Beyond questioning the effectiveness of water guards, Dr. Zaato also raised concerns about the legal framework governing mining operations.
He sought clarification on whether the Legislative Instrument (L.I.) being considered would revoke existing mining licenses or allow them to remain in place.
“If this L.I. passes, does it revoke all the existing licenses?” he asked.
He argued that such regulatory uncertainties needed to be addressed before implementing new enforcement mechanisms.
Dr. Zaato’s remarks highlight growing skepticism over the government’s approach to illegal mining.
While he acknowledges the importance of the fight against galamsey, he insists that any intervention must be both practical and effective.
To him, replacing the military with water guards is neither.
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