Former Minister for Public Enterprises, Joseph Cudjoe, has called for Ghana’s major rivers to be classified and declared as critical national security assets to protect them from destruction and pollution. 

He argued that safeguarding such vital water resources is crucial for the nation’s survival and development.

“I suggest that the following rivers and all rivers with water treatment plants and irrigation systems should be declared as critical national security assets and placed under the protection of a specialised security force or the regular military for continuous protection,” Mr Cudjoe stated. He emphasised that any harmful activities around such rivers should be treated as acts of aggression against the state and met with a firm security response.

Among the rivers he listed for priority protection were the Volta, Black Volta, White Volta, Pra, Ankobra, Tano, and Densu, as well as all rivers that host water treatment plants. 

Mr Cudjoe noted that these water bodies play indispensable roles in agriculture, hydroelectric power generation, transportation and drinking water supply. 

“Several countries such as the United States, China, India, Brazil, Egypt and Israel have already taken similar measures to secure their river systems,” he added.

He further stressed that the proposal, if backed by law and supported with a dedicated budget, would not only curb illegal mining (galamsey) but also provide a durable and lasting solution to river pollution. 

“We may receive disapproval from those mining in and around the rivers, but many Ghanaians will welcome this decisive step, knowing that the government is tackling the menace head-on,” Mr Cudjoe asserted.