Nzema Manle Queen Mothers Conference held in Ellembelle with call for unity

The Nzemanle Queen Mothers Association has held its 2026 Conference in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region with a call for unity and a renewed resolve to help fight illegal mining (galamsey) in Nzemaland.

The conference was held over the weekend under the theme: "The role of Queen Mothers in the development of Nzema Manle".

Speaking to the media, the Acting President of the Association, Awulae Hemah Adalakyie II, Queen Mother of Lower Town Axim and Nsein Traditional Area, said the association brings together all Queen Mothers across Nzemaland to champion development.

She said the association used to be vibrant but its activities declined about five years ago.

"For now we are just a few, but as I said, it used to be vibrant. So we are trying as much as possible to raise it up again like how it used to be five years ago," she said.

Awulae Hemah Adalakyie II charged her colleague Queen Mothers to work with chiefs, opinion leaders and youth groups to help end protracted chieftaincy disputes retarding development in Nzema Manle.

She said as mothers and custodians of tradition, Queen Mothers have a unique role in mediating conflicts and fostering peace.

The Queen Mothers resolved at the conference to join the fight against galamsey by supporting their Chiefs not to allow anyone to mine illegally on their lands.

She said the practice was not only destroying farmlands and water bodies but also posing a grave danger to critical national assets like the Ghana Gas pipelines.

"I have to let them know that this is what is at hand. So they have to be very, very cautious because as our CEO said, if you are not cautious and the least mistake that happens is going to wipe the core of the community and nearby communities which we don't want," she said.

"So I will urge everyone to be careful. We should tell our children, those that go to the farm, our mothers or whoever that is on the land, whether it is a registered land or not, please be cautious of the pipelines because it is a serious one," she stated.

"In case it happens, it is going to be very, very serious, of which we don't want to lose our people," she added.

The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana National Gas Company, Ms. Judith Adjobah Blay, who was the Special Guest of Honour, commended the Queen Mothers for coming together to revive the association and champion development in Nzema Manle.

She pledged to use her personal resources to provide full support for brilliant but needy girl-child to attain higher education and become like her. She charged the Queen Mothers to identify such girls for her.

Ms. Blay said empowering the girl-child was key to the development of Nzema and the nation as a whole.

Meanwhile, Mr. Frank Buah has supported the association with GH₵20,000.00 to aid the organisation of the conference and the revival of its activities.

The Acting President took the opportunity to thank Mr. Buah for the support and appealed to other well-meaning Nzema indigenes and corporate bodies to support the association.