King Charles Collaborates With Asantehene To Reclaim Galamsey-destroyed Lands

Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has shared one of the principal topics that featured in his discussions with the monarch of the United Kingdom, King Charles III during their private discussion.

The Monarch of the Asante Kingdom had a private audience with King Charles on May 4, 2023, at Buckingham Palace during his visit for his coronation.

Speaking at the launch of the Green Ghana Day, Otumfuo said, his discussions with the UK’s head of State centred on land reclamation in Ghana.

According to the King, the United Kingdom is willing to help Ghana reclaim some lands lost to illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

“My discussions with him were on land reclamation in Ghana and we had some private discussions. He has accepted to collaborate with me for us to do that.”

He said King Charles has already directed his team to “formulate a policy that will help Ghana to reclaim some of our lands that have been destroyed by galamsey and illegal mining”.

Ghana is gradually losing her vegetative cover, bodies and cash crops to illegal mining.

It was reported last year that some farmers were selling out their cocoa farms to illegal miners in some rural areas. At the same time, most of the river bodies across the country turned muddy. Meanwhile, forest reserves were being invaded due to the act.

The discussion by Otumfuo attests to his commitment to eradicating illegal mining and its menace in not just the Ashanti region but Ghana at large.

Asantehene has used various platforms to vent out his displeasure about illegal mining and the hypocritical fight against it.

Such was in May 2021 during a Regional Consultative Dialogue on Small Scale Mining.

“Before I read the speech, I have some concerns to raise. Yesterday the Regional Minister (Simon Osei Mensah) and my son Jinapor came and asked that I go by the script because they think I will say something that will expose. I told them they know the ones behind galamsey. 30% of the people present now know the ones behind illegal mining activities here. About 30% of people present here are engaged in galamsey. We deceive ourselves with conferences like this one.”

Another was during a courtesy call by the US Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer on October 1, 2022.

“If we create a system where we say we will stop it {galamsey} to the extent that the President puts his Presidency on the line, and yet it is going on, then to me something is wrong somewhere…And people know those behind galamsey. They are working in these communities with the natives.

“Unfortunately unemployment may be the problem but that shouldn’t warrant the destruction of the environment. That’s not the alternative. We all need to find out what went wrong…To me, galamsey hasn’t been stopped because there is some authority somewhere involved which I am against.”

Another was during the Regional House of Chief’s meeting on October 14 where he chided the chiefs for their role and inactions in illegal mining.

“Are you not aware that people are using excavators to mine and destroy the environment, and that the government is struggling with the fight? You’ve sworn an oath of allegiance to be the custodian of Essumenja, Asokore, as Asokorehene to be my representative. When you pass by galamsey sites with your cars and flags hoisted on them, don’t you see the destruction?”

“Have you ever informed me that your water bodies are being destroyed and your people can’t get water to drink?”