Otumfuo to Gov’t: Fight Galamsey from the Top, Not Just the Bottom
Asantehene backs government’s anti-galamsey efforts but urges focus on youth employment and the arrest of powerful illegal mining financiers
- Otumfuo urges the government to go after key financiers of illegal mining
- He emphasizes that tackling unemployment is crucial to ending galamsey
- Otumfuo warns against the indiscriminate sale of state lands and supports afforestation efforts
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP, on Friday, February 14, 2025, paid a courtesy call on the Asantehene, His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to seek his support and counsel in the fight against illegal mining (galamsey) and land sector reforms.
Accompanied by top officials from his ministry, the minister emphasized the importance of Otumfuo’s blessings and guidance as the government embarks on sweeping reforms in the mining and forestry sub-sectors.
He acknowledged Otumfuo’s leadership in maintaining land stability in the Ashanti Region and appealed for his continued wisdom in shaping policies aimed at tackling illegal mining.
Hon. Armah-Kofi Buah decried the alarming destruction of the nation’s forests and water bodies due to galamsey, revealing that 44 out of Ghana’s 288 forest reserves have already been ravaged by illegal mining.
He also highlighted the dangerous increase in turbidity levels in major water bodies, which have soared from 5,000 NTU to 12,000 NTU.
To curb the crisis, the minister outlined several urgent measures, including forming an 18-member expert committee to review mining licenses, reclassifying mining categories, and restructuring the Community Mining Scheme.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, in response, commended the minister’s efforts but urged him to tackle the root cause of galamsey—youth unemployment. He stressed that providing alternative, sustainable livelihoods would discourage young people from engaging in destructive mining practices.
The Asantehene also called on the government to shift its focus from arresting small-scale miners and instead go after the powerful figures behind the illegal mining trade. Additionally, he cautioned against the indiscriminate sale of public lands and praised the government’s afforestation initiatives, including the Tree for Life project.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, joined in expressing gratitude to Otumfuo and pledged to work collaboratively with relevant ministries to eradicate galamsey and restore Ghana’s natural resources.
Earlier in the day, Hon. Armah-Kofi Buah visited the Afari Military Hospital alongside the Ministers of Interior and Defence. The hospital, initiated under the Mahama administration in 2014, had faced prolonged delays under the previous government, raising concerns over stalled infrastructure projects.
