The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has identified entrenched corruption and political miscalculations as major obstacles to Ghana’s efforts to combat illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey. Apexnewsgh reports
Addressing participants at the Global Mining Summit in Accra, the revered monarch expressed deep concern over the continued degradation of the country’s natural environment, warning that illegal mining poses a serious threat to Ghana’s ecological and economic sustainability.
“The pollution of our water bodies, the destruction of our forests, and the degradation of virgin lands cannot be allowed to continue unchecked,” Otumfuo stated. He criticized the inefficacy of repeated government interventions, noting that systemic failures and weak enforcement have consistently undermined well-intentioned measures.
“It cannot be denied that the cocktail of regulatory failures, political miscalculations, and corruption has combined to make the curbing of this menace more challenging,” he said. The Asantehene urged stakeholders to engage in honest, evidence-based policy reviews and to pursue firm regulatory enforcement to combat the galamsey crisis.
“We have the opportunity to calmly dissect the policy options and tools available to deal with the problem,” he advised. Despite the grim outlook on illegal mining, Otumfuo commended the government for introducing innovative policies in the mining sector, singling out the Gold for Oil (Gold4Oil) programme as a positive step.
He also welcomed the recent establishment of Goldbod, a new mining entity, describing it as a timely and creative initiative with the capacity to boost investor confidence and production yields. “The emergence of the new Goldbod is a creative initiative we need for the rise of the industry, increasing the prospect for more investment and higher yields,” he said.
The Asantehene’s remarks have sparked renewed calls for a holistic and nonpartisan approach to ending illegal mining in Ghana. His comments have highlighted the need for a collaborative effort to address the galamsey crisis and promote sustainable development in the mining sector.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
