Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II appears to have revealed some attempts by Lands Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor and Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah to get him to stick to the content of a speech written for him on galamsey.
During a Regional Consultative Dialogue on Small Scale Mining at KNUST in the Ashanti Region Wednesday, May 13, 2021, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II noted, before delving into issues as captured in the speech, how the two government officials tried to convince him to stick to the script.
This he says, was perhaps resultant of some foreseen comments he may have made which may affect some parties.
“Before I read my speech, I want to make mention of some two things. Yesterday, the Regional Minister and my son, Jinapor came to me to tell me to stick to the content of the speech and I told them I would. They perhaps thought I may say something else that may bring some trouble.
“In all sincerity, I told them that this galamsey issue we’ve been talking about, about 30% of us in this gathering would know the persons involved in galamsey. If we don’t speak the truth, we will keep deceiving ourselves, keep doing conferences for a long time,” he stated.
He noted with worry, how some affluent persons are using their positions to promote the disturbing practice, a thing he emphasized must stop, if the fight against galamsey will work.
“Right here, one of the culprits involved in galamsey confessed that the Chiefs gave them the land. If you are a chief and you know you are giving out lands for galamsey, you should judge yourself and ask if you are doing the right thing. If you go to your village and you have given out that land for galamsey, what leadership example are you giving?. It’s wrong.
“Yesterday, they came and mentioned a lot of things which will probably stir up trouble if I should touch on them,” he added.
The galamsey menace is increasingly becoming a dangerous one, with a clear solution barely in sight.
Despite government efforts to curb the menace with the introduction of some policies and measures in the past, it has emerged over time that there may be the involvement of some ‘big shots’ in the galamsey practice.
