Pressure Mount On Okyehene To Put A Stop To Galamsey

Clarion calls have been on the Paramount Chief of Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area to walk his talk in his vision to stop illegal small scale mining popularly known as galamsey in the area.

The group calling itself the Concerned Citizens of Atewa Landscape (CCAL) made the call in a press statement copied to Soireenews.com  on Saturday, March 10, 2021.

According to the statement signed by the President Concerned Citizens Atewa Landscape, Mr Oteng Adjei Okyenhene last week made a bold statement over his intention to end the rampant illegal mining in his traditional area, promising to resist community mining which he branded as “Uncle or Senior brother of galamsey.”

In a statement, the CCAL welcomed the chief l for his bold assertion on the much-touted community mining. 

“For a long time, we have been expressing grave concern on the manner Community Mining was decimating our lands with the necessary regulatory regime as promised. 

Your bold and unambiguous statement, therefore, presents the voices of reason and leadership we have yearned for a long time. 

The politicians have thrown our concerns to the dogs and taken our cries for granted without any commitment to ensure sanity in the poorly regulated mining sector. 

We thank you immensely for the assertiveness and the bold stance you have demonstrated”, the statement added.

According to the Concern Citizens, dealing with the illegal mining within the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area can be stopped and have therefore called on Okyenhene to walk the talk.

“Importantly, we will also wish to state that, just as we stand with you to resist Community Mining and its negative impacts on our water bodies, farmlands and social cohesion, we will also resist any plans by government or any mining company to decimate the Atewa Forest, which is the source of our water, our heritage and our future”, the statement added.

Below is an unedited  full statement by the group

The Concern Citizens of the Atewa Landscape (CCAL) salutes the Overlord of the Akyem Abuakwa Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin on his rather bold assertion on the much-touted community mining. For a long time, we have been expressing grave concern on the manner Community Mining was decimating our lands with the necessary regulatory regime as promised. 

Your bold and unambiguous statement, therefore, presents the voices of reason and leadership we have yearned for for a long time.

The politicians have thrown our concerns to the dogs and taken our cries for granted without any commitment to ensure sanity in the poorly regulated mining sector. We thank you immensely for the assertiveness and the bold stance you have demonstrated.

 It is to be stated without any shred of equivocation that the so-called community mining is a rebrand of galamsey and a clear indication of the Government throwing its hands in the air as a sign of despair. 

Community mining is as destructive as galamsey as it targets river bodies, without any supervision and socially unsustainable.

 In times past even though there was a central government, our forest and water bodies enjoyed some very high degree of sanctity because the Traditional Authorities never condoned the activities of encroachers and perpetrators.

We are therefore making an appeal and urging His Royal Majesty the Okyenhene to lead us to stop these irresponsible actors and stamp his authority over his Sub Chiefs, so we can win the war on illegal mining in Ghana.

 This is because no miner has the audacity and effrontery to mine without the Traditional Authority performing the traditional entrance rituals.

Importantly, we will also wish to state that, just as we stand with you to resist Community Mining and its negative impacts on our water bodies, farmlands and social cohesion, we will also resist any plans by the government or any mining company to decimate the Atewa Forest, which is the source of our water, our heritage and our future.

The Concerned Citizens of Atewa Landscape believe that dealing with the illegal mining within the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area can be stopped and are therefore calling on Okyenhene to walk the talk. We are committed to undertake awareness and sensitization to support you in any way we can.

 If we are stopping Community Mining then we need to also stop any plans to mine in the Atewa forest, as that activity will be the biggest galamsey ever in the history of Ghana.

 Mining in our forests and water bodies be it legal or illegal is galamsey by nature as such all such irresponsible activities must be abandoned with immediate effect.

Let us all sing the “yen ara asaase ni” and give real meaning to the lyrics which says “adu me ne wo nso so sƐ yƐ bƐ yƐ bi atoa so! Yes! We must continue the good works of our forefathers or at least maintain their standards. Osagyefo, we are listening with rapt attention to your next call for action to put a stop to galamsey or community mining.

  Freeman Koryekpor Awlesu Greater Accra Regional Correspondent