File photo of a galamsey site
The Eastern Regional House of Chiefs has said the fight against galamsey will never be successful if the government refuses to recognize and involve chiefs in the processes of granting mining licenses and regulatory enforcement.
The House of Chiefs accused governments of sidelining chiefs in managing mineral deposits and the fight against galamsey.
Illegal mining continues to wreak havoc across parts of the Eastern Region, polluting major water bodies and degrading the environment.
The Eastern Regional Security Council, led by the regional minister Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, has launched a task force to clamp down on illegal miners.
As part of the initiative, the minister has been meeting stakeholders. She met with the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs to seek their support.
“I know there will be a lot of input from you because we will be dealing with people who are your subjects. We may not even know your ritual days so we called you here to ask that as we enter into your land, into your forests and as we walk around your water bodies what should we do?” the minister Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey said.
But the Chiefs were firm that without their involvement, the exercise would fail.
They argue that chiefs must be empowered to protect their own lands with the support of the state which is the only way to ensure a sustainable fight against illegal mining.
“If you empower the Paramount chiefs -that’s allodial title holders then we can be in charge. We can cause citizen arrest, we can give instructions, we can put our eyes there but the thing comes from the Minerals Commission, goes to the Assembly, goes back there then the land minister issues a prospecting license. So we feel left out. You don’t get us involved so problems come and you call us we can’t help,” said Akwamuhene Odeneho Kwafo Akoto, Akwamuhene.
The Paramount chief of Akyem Kotoku Oseadeyo Dr Frimpong Manso for instance argued that galamsey has become a source of livelihood for many households and stimulates the local economy despite the negative environmental impact, therefore requires a strategic approach with the involvement of chiefs to find a lasting solution.
“Gold extraction has become a source of livelihood for thousands of households; there is a chain of effect. The new houses we are seeing, the iron rods, and those selling kenkey, and fried yam all link to the gold sector in the economy. This is the money, this is what is actually sustaining the local government. This is not to say that the water and the land are not important so you have to really understand this and bring the stakeholders together. You don’t go in with people in military clothing and quickly get compromised. So you are not going to get anywhere,” Oseadeyo Dr Frimpong Manso stated.
Akyem Tafohene, Osabarima Adusei Peasah who represented Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin said politicians must be sincere in the fight against illegal mining describing the introduction of community mining by the previous government as galamsey in disguise which must be revoked.
Okuapehene Oseadeyo Kwasi Akuffo was concerned that the government granted a prospecting license for mining in Akuapem two years ago without the knowledge of the traditional council fearing the galamsey menace may creep to Okuapeman.
President of Eastern Regional House of Chiefs Nene Sakite urged the government to involve chiefs in the management and crackdown against illegal mining for sustainable environmental protection.
“We know what to do, a whole lot of Nananom we can help our communities and help this country also. So don’t sidestep us,” Nene Salute admonished.
