A former Chairperson of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Professor Stephen Adei, has commended the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for destooling some chiefs due to their involvement in galamsey activities.
According to him, the issue of galamsey is widespread and requires immediate action.
He made these remarks during a public lecture at the 25th anniversary of the DVLA on September 4, 2024.
Lamenting the destruction of several water bodies across the country due to galamsey activities, Prof. Adei expressed his eagerness for the day when Otumfuo will eradicate galamsey from the Ashanti Region and declare it a galamsey zone-free.
“I hope Otumfuo Asantehene in his sterling leadership will not stop at destooling few chiefs for the problem are widespread. I am looking forward to the day he will declare Asanteman a galamsey free-zone,” the former GRA board chair said.
Prof. Adei further shared his experience of how galamsey activities have destroyed a river near his home in Obuasi, which is also under the supervision of the Omanhene of the Adansi traditional council.
Despite this, nothing has been done to address the problem, which he attributes to a failure in leadership.
“Currently, I live a few meters from the Jimi River. The Jimi River is the one that supplies water to the whole metropolitan of Obuasi and that river is being totally destroyed and at its head (sic) the galamsey activities is so bad and my house is less than 500 meters from there.
“…And interestingly, the Omanhene of Adansi traditional council lives only about 200 meters from me. I believe that these are some of the things. Galamsey is a reflection of leadership failure in this country,” he said.
He has therefore called for the president to declare a national emergency to combat galamsey.
“…It is time to declare a national emergency so that the president has emergency powers and all earth moving things should be taken up and dealt with and how those young men and women be encouraged and trained, of course they can go back into mining, but at least not at the expense of the lifeline of Ghanaians,” Prof. Adei rallied.
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