The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II made the statement at the Mining in Motion Summit
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has noted that his son’s resolve to engage in mining was inspired by Ibrahim Mahama and Sir Sam Jonah.
According to him, the two businessmen, who have played major roles in the mining sector, trained his son.
Speaking at the official opening of the Mining in Motion Summit in Accra on June 2, 2025, Otumfuo emphasised the millionaires’ roles in his son’s choice.
“My son, who is organising this Mining in Motion, was trained by his uncle, Sam Jonah, and his brother, Ibrahim Mahama. They trained him, looked after his school and everything. And then I see the reason why he’s into mining is that Ibrahim influenced his job,” he said.
He also noted that Ghana’s longstanding challenge in Ghana has not been the lack of natural resources, but rather the inability to fully capitalise on them in the competitive global market.
“Probably the most costly effect of illicit mining to me is the distraction from the real challenge we face, which is how we maximise the benefits of our noble heritage. We have to be true to ourselves and admit that we have not done a good job of representing and protecting ourselves in the competitive global market,” the Asantehene stated.
In his remarks, the Asantehene praised Sammy Gyamfi for his work at the Ghana GoldBod, noting that his efforts are helping shift the focus from reactive responses to illegal mining toward proactive strategies that secure long-term value from Ghana’s mineral wealth.
SSD/AE
