Asantehene Urges Government to Target Financiers of Illegal Mining
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has called on the government to take decisive action against the major financiers and influential figures behind illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey. He emphasized that tackling only the small-scale miners and youth engaged in the practice is not enough to eliminate the menace.
Otumfuo made this statement during a courtesy visit by the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, at the Manhyia Palace. The Minister was seeking the Asantehene’s guidance and support for the government’s planned reforms in the mining and forestry sectors.
During the meeting, Mr. Buah highlighted the alarming consequences of illegal mining on Ghana’s environment. He revealed that out of the country’s 288 forest reserves, 44 have been severely degraded due to galamsey activities. Additionally, the quality of major water bodies continues to deteriorate, with turbidity levels rising from 5,000 NTU to 12,000 NTU.
To address these concerns, the government has established an 18-member working committee tasked with reviewing the mining licensing regime, reclassifying mining categories, and overhauling the Community Mining Schemes. The Minister also announced plans to introduce medium-scale mining to provide a structured and legal alternative for miners.
“We are grateful for Otumfuo’s advice and support for the reset agenda that we have embarked on. We’ve laid out a plan to deal with key initiatives, and it started with the inauguration of the 18-member working committee. We are also reclassifying the mining categories and introducing medium-scale mining,” Mr. Buah stated.
While commending the government’s efforts, Otumfuo urged the Minister to address the root causes of illegal mining by implementing alternative livelihood programmes for the youth in mining communities. He stressed that without sustainable job opportunities, young people would continue to be drawn to galamsey as a means of survival.
Furthermore, the Asantehene cautioned against the indiscriminate sale of public lands to politically connected individuals, stating that such practices should not continue under the Minister’s tenure.
Otumfuo also lauded the government’s afforestation initiatives, particularly the Tree of Life project, which aims to restore degraded lands and improve environmental sustainability. He pledged his full support for the initiative and encouraged all stakeholders to collaborate in protecting Ghana’s natural resources.
The meeting between the Asantehene and the Lands Minister signals a renewed commitment to tackling illegal mining and ensuring responsible land and forestry management in Ghana. With Otumfuo’s backing and the government’s proposed reforms, stakeholders hope to see significant progress in the fight against galamsey and the protection of the country’s environment.