Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II says he is unhappy with the spate of illegal mining that has ravaged lands in the Amansie area of the Ashanti Region.
He will be visiting the area to demand answers from local chiefs who allowed the menace to destroy their lands.
He spoke at the launch of the 2023 edition of the Green Ghana Day, which is part of the government’s drive to aggressively restore degraded lands and depleted forest reserves.
“It is very sad that despite the several measures government has been putting in place to curb this menace, illegal logging and illegal mining continue to pose a threat to our forest, which means that government cannot do it alone, we must all get involved and support government.”
“I’m not happy with chiefs in the Amansie area where galamsey has taken over the land, and I say to them that if you sit there and you claim that you don’t know what is happening, then you’re not fit to be a chief over there.”
“I’m going to take a drive around those areas, in the Amansie to Manso-Nkwanta, I’ve gotten reports about what’s happening and I’m going to do that. If I finish with that, all the chiefs around that area may have to answer as to why that is happening,” he said.
Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Samuel Tika has also called on Regional ministers and DCEs to emulate the example of the Asantehene.
Mr Tika says the warning is appropriate and wants the government to replicate same for appointees to solidify the fight against illegal mining.
He was speaking at a dialogue session at an ongoing transformational dialogue organized by the University of Energy and Natural Resources in Sunyani.
“Yesterdaywhen they were launching the Green Ghana 2023, the Asantehene made a very strong admonishing to all his chiefs who have illegal mining going on in their areas, that if they don’t stand to check those ones, they don’t qualify to be chiefs under him.”
“The point I’m making is that if government could do the same thing; that is if government makes that statement to Regional ministers and DCEs who have all these security people under them and all these illegal mining activities going on within their jurisdictions, and they are told that if I find any illegality within your jurisdiction, you are sacked, I believe that it will be a turning point in this fight against galamsey,” he said.
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