By Yussif Ibrahim
Kumasi, Dec. 18, GNA – Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II, the President of the National House of Chiefs, has renewed calls on government to actively involve traditional authorities in the fight against illegal mining, warning that the menace poses an increasing threat to national security, public health and environmental sustainability.
Addressing the last meeting of the House for the year in Kumasi, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi said chiefs across the country had consistently spoken out against illegal mining throughout the year, stressing that the current approach had not yielded the desired results.
He cautioned that illegal mining activities were spreading rapidly across the country and could soon take a dangerous turn if decisive action was not taken.
“If we do not take the necessary steps, we are going to lose out there. My fear is that these illegal miners are gradually arming themselves, and if that happens, it will become extremely difficult for the security agencies to flush them out of the forests and mining areas,” he warned.
Drawing parallels with drug cartels in parts of South America, the President of the National House of Chiefs warned that galamsey operators could eventually begin to challenge state authority if allowed to entrench themselves.
Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi emphasised that chiefs, as custodians of the land, must be central to any effective strategy to combat illegal mining, noting that every community has a traditional authority whose influence could be harnessed to protect land and water bodies.
“Every village, every town has a chief. If landowners and traditional authorities are actively involved and the regulatory regime is adjusted to include them, it will significantly strengthen the fight against galamsey,” he said.
He further highlighted the environmental and health consequences of illegal mining, pointing out that polluted rivers were affecting access to clean drinking water, while contaminated soils were threatening food security.
According to him, medical professionals had warned that staple foods such as cassava, yam, cocoyam and vegetables were being affected by chemicals used in illegal mining, posing long-term health risks to the population.
Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi appealed to the government to deepen collaboration with traditional authorities, insisting that empowering chiefs would help safeguard natural resources, restore polluted water bodies and protect farmlands for future generations.
The National House of Chiefs, he reaffirmed, remained committed to supporting all efforts aimed at ending galamsey and ensuring sustainable use of Ghana’s land and mineral resources.
GNA
Edited by Yussif Ibrahim/Christian Akorlie