Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah and his delegation in a group photo with Otumfuo Osei Tutu II at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi
Source: Africa Publicity
The King of Ghana’s Asante Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has pledged his support for the Ghanaian government’s renewed fight against illegal gold mining, also known as galamsey in the local parlance. This comes after Ghana’s Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, paid a courtesy call on the Asantehene to seek his blessings and guidance.
Hon. Armah-Kofi Buah commended Otumfuo for his past interventions in the fight against galamsey and appealed for his continued support. “We are very grateful for Otumfour’s advice and support for the reset agenda that we’ve embarked on,” he said.
The Minister also highlighted the devastating impact of galamsey on the country, noting that 44 out of 288 forest reserves have been devastated by galamsey activities. He emphasized the urgency of the situation and outlined radical initiatives taken by the government to address the problem.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II expressed his confidence in the Lands Minister’s ability to deliver and urged him to address the root cause of the galamsey problem – youth unemployment. “If the youth in the mining areas are exposed to meaningful and sustainable sources of livelihoods, they would resist the temptation of mining in water bodies and forest reserves,” he said.
The Asantehene also encouraged the government to go after the “big fishes” in the galamsey business and develop a livelihood program to cater to the youth. He praised the Lands Minister for his aggressive afforestation initiative and pledged his support for the project.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, thanked Otumfuo for his support and advice and assured that he would work with his colleagues to deal with the galamsey menace.
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