Chiefs, elders of Akyem Kotoku State call for removal of DCE over galamsey activities

The name of the Birim-North District Chief Executive (DCE), Raymond Nana Damptey, came up during a press conference organized by Akyem Kotoku State on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at the Kotoku Palace in Akim Oda in the Eastern Region.

In a rather tense and charged atmosphere, with all the chiefs and elders of the state clad in red and black attire, Raymond Nana Damptey was pinpointed without equivocation as the man behind several galamsey operations in the Ntronang enclave and other Kotoku towns in the Birim North District.

To buttress the claims of the chiefs, pictures of one of his galamsey sites by the roadside of Ntronang town, which is visible to commuters who ply the Ayirebi-Ntronang-Abirem road, were circulated for the public to catch a glimpse of his dark enterprises.

Briefing the press, Nana Asiedu Akora, Ntronanghene, stressed, “The DCE continues to undertake his galamsey operations undeterred. He is sponsoring several hundred laborers at different sites in the Ntronang enclave, and his activities are causing great damage to rivers and lands.”

He added, “Every attempt to whip Hon. Damptey into line has failed. He doesn’t respect traditional authority and does not listen to calls by Ntronang residents to stop environmental degradation. Quite recently, Hon. Damptey came to a function in Ntronang. As soon as he grabbed the microphone to speak, the youth of Ntronang, who consider Damptey’s galamsey activities destructive to their rivers and lands, shouted in disapproval and amidst threats of attacks. But for the timely intervention of police officers at the program, the event would have been bloody.”

Raymond Nana Damptey, described as rude, disrespectful, and snobbish by a cross-section of the chiefs, has consistently refused to honor both verbal and written invitations to meet the traditional leaders and elders of Akyem Kotoku State.

The chiefs and elders of Akyem Kotoku State thus unanimously called for the immediate removal of Raymond Nana Damptey from office and further threatened to show President Nana Akufo-Addo and his NPP government red flags should he delay ousting Mr. Damptey from office.

DCE’s response:

Meanwhile, the DCE, when contacted, declined to comment on the matter, citing plans to seek legal redress.

“I’ve been advised not to talk because we’re getting the documents ready to take the matter to court because it's defamation, so once we’re going to do that, there’s no need for me to talk about it,” he said.