The Minister of Works, Housing and Water Resources, Mr Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, has announced that the government is preparing a new Legislative Instrument (LI) to establish buffer zones aimed at protecting Ghana’s rivers and water bodies.

The announcement was made at the official launch of World Rivers Day 2025, celebrated under the theme “Our Rivers, Our Future.” The proposed LI will give legal backing to safeguard riparian areas, curb encroachment, and preserve river corridors for future generations.

Mr. Adjei described illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, as the greatest threat to the country’s rivers and said the LI would bolster the government’s fight against the practice.

“We cannot win this battle by force alone. Government will also support alternative livelihoods for young people involved in galamsey,” he emphasised.

The Minister further explained that the LI is part of a broader water governance reform agenda, anchored on Ghana’s revised national water policy, Sustainable Development Goal 6, climate change commitments, and national development priorities.

According to him, the measure is designed not only to enforce environmental protection but also to balance sustainability with socio-economic development.