Chiefs must answer to effects of illegal mining in their areas – Otumfuo

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has said he is not happy with his chiefs in the Amansie area where illegal mining also known as Galamsey has taken over the landscape destroying forest and other vegetation cover.

According to him, his chiefs are aware that he (Otumfuo) has been speaking earnestly about illegal mining and that he is never pleased with them about their alleged involvement in the illegality.

Otumfuo made the statement while speaking at the official launching of the 2023 Green Ghana Day event in Kumasi ahead of the project on 9th June 2023 across the country.

The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II reiterated his commitment to preserving the country’s vegetation cover despite the persistent destruction of forest reserves by illegal miners.

He said “As you know a couple of days ago I returned from London, where I added the coronation of Prince Charles the III whose number one legacy is perhaps his commitment to afforestation, reforestation and the fight against climate change. Interestingly my private conversation with him was on land reclamation in Ghana and he agreed to collaborate with me for us to do that.

He directed his technical team to my team to formulate a policy to help Ghana reclaim some of our lands that are destroyed by illegal mining (Galamsey)," he disclosed.

Before the launch of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resource and the Ghana Forestry Commission Green Ghana Day Project, the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has already commenced planting trees to protect the environment by planting 2.5 million tears on 6000 hector land towards the protection of Lake Bosomtwe the largest natural lake in the country.

This declaration was made by Otumfuo because of the important premium he attaches to the protection of human life and the protection of the lake.

He further added “As I stand here the minister of land and natural resource Knows that, done about 640 acres of teak plantation in Sekyere Kumawu. I’m also collaborating with the forestry commission to develop another plantation in Offinso where I’m told we have done about two or more compartments. That also we are going to continue to do it.”

He said tree planting is now becoming his hobby because of the tremendous contribution it makes to the environment, climate change mitigation and improvement of livelihood for members of the French communities.

The trees he said also serve as homes to millions of wildlife that contribute to the sustainability of the earth, therefore, one cannot agree with the conservationist and the 26th President of the united states Franklin Delano Roosevelt, when he said “to exist as a nation to prosper as a state to leave as a people we must have tress" for this reason Otumfuo said he has no reason but to embrace green Ghana project when it was launched in 2019.

He said “When old men plant trees, society grows great and I have been doing that with my girl and I told her I will never sit under it but she will sit under the tree, and for the past two years she has done that with me. we have two trees at the golf park she has nurtured one and I have also natured one," he said.

He commended Ashanti region for nurturing a higher number of trees thus 7.8 million out of over 31 million with of trees planted nationwide within two years and the trees are doing well. This he said means “our sacrifices are not in vain and being wasted."

He encouraged Ghanaians to renew their support towards this year’s Green Ghana Day three planting project under the theme “Our Forest our Health summarizing the importance of forest to our lives."

He said it is not for nothing forests are called the lungs of the earth stressing without forests our lives on earth indicating for without forests our lives on the planets will be impossible.

Apart from the health benefits forest contributes significantly to nationals economies, however, the reality is that the country’s forest resources are under serious threat from several environmental challenges including illegal mining, the headache of Ghana, illegal logging deforestation, forest degradation, land degradation, climate change, oil erosion and many other factors.

Goal 15 of the United nation sustainable development goals aim to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of the terrestrial ecosystem, sustainably manage first, combat desertification halt, and reverse land degradation and biodiversity laws.

However, the Asantehene is worried despite several measures the government has been putting to curb this menace illegal mining and illegal logging continue to pose a threat to the country’s forest reserves.

This he said means the government cannot do it alone, he encourages Ghanaians to get involved to support the government to tackle the matter before that country.

“My chief knows that I have been speaking about this, I’m not happy with chiefs in the Amansie area where Galamsey has taken over the lands. I say to them that if you sit there and you claim you don’t know what is happening then you are not fit to be a chief over there. These are matters we have to take up again and I don’t care whose gods it is because we have to enforce it and I have to start with my chiefs first and the government has to deal with the other ones’’ he assured.

He further added, “We all have to take the matter seriously to bring the issue to closure because I cannot accept that. I’m going to take a drive around those areas in the Amansie to Manso Nkwanta and all areas to see. I have gotten a report about what is happening there and I’m going to do that’’ he stressed.

He added “And if I finish with that, all the chiefs around that area may have to answer as to why that happened. I was alarmed to hear during the minister's press briefing weeks a go that the forest reserves in the Asante Bekwai forest reserve including the Oda River, Subin shelter belt, and Aprampram forest reserve are the most forest reserves to control due to the activities of gun-wielding illegal miners and loggers."

He said this unfortunate development cannot continue; I have therefore charged the chiefs in those these areas to work with the forestry commission and the Ministry of the Lands and natural resources to find ways to drive away the illegal miners and the loggers and I know Nananom some of them have benefited from the illegal miners. It is a fact that we have to accept and appreciate it government side too I know there are accusations over there they also have to fight it. We all have to fight it. We cannot hide under anything by saying we don’t know what is happening," he noted.