Politicians encourage 'galamsey' for votes – Otumfuo

The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu has accused politicians in the country of encouraging illegal mining.

According to the Ashanti monarch, politicians across the divide are reluctant to condemn galamsey, as illegal mining is popularly known, because of political expediency.

Speaking at the commissioning of the Asanko Gold Mine at Manso Nkran in the Ashanti region, the Otumfuo said it is high time the nation took a strong stand against galamsey.

“All the laws are there, why are we not enforcing them? It is because you politicians, not NDC or NPP, all of you have things you tell the youth for them to continue doing galamsey. Because of the votes you seek. It is true that the youth need job but we should be able to tell them the truth that galamsey is not healthy for the environment.

“There is the minerals commission, there is the ministry of mines and lands commission, if we have to make laws to regulate their activities, let’s just do it. If we have to register all of them under small scale mining , let’s do it,” the Asantehene bemoaned.

He also condemned chiefs who hide behind their traditional authority to encourage the act.

“There are some chiefs behind this galamsey thing. They encourage the youth to go out there and do it. For those chiefs in this area, if I hear that any of you is involved in galamsey, you won’t have it easy with me”.

Meanwhile, mining giant Anglogold has sued the Ghanaian government at the International court of arbitration over its inability to control illegal mining at its concession at Obuasi.