The Amankrado of Agyapomaa, Baffour Ampem Darko Okyere III, Traditional leaders and Save the Mining Communities-Ghana have joined forces to combat the galamsey menace in the Abuakwa South Municipality of the Eastern Region.
Speaking at the launch of Save the Mining Communities-Ghana at Akyem-Agyapomaa, Baffour Ampem Darko Okyere III lamented the exclusion of traditional leaders from mining concession decisions, saying it hampers efforts to curb galamsey in their communities.
“We have always been accused of having a hand in galamsey activities as chiefs,” he said. “People are given concessions without our knowledge and before we realize, they are already mining on our lands.”
The chief expressed concern that decisions affecting stool lands are frequently made in Accra without proper consultation, leaving chiefs powerless to monitor activities. He urged authorities to inform traditional leaders about concessions in their areas, enabling them to supervise operations and ensure compliance.
“The chiefs must be made aware of whom a particular concession has been given in their vicinity so we can properly monitor their activities and hold them accountable for their actions and inactions,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Save the Mining Communities-Ghana, founded by Andrews Kwame Perprem, has announced a renewed push to remove young people from illegal mining sites and return them to the classroom.
“We realise that most of these children are self-dependent and contribute financially to their households. If we want them out of galamsey, we must provide alternative livelihood support to their parents,” a representative of the group explained.
The group’s primary target is to take children and youth off mining sites and reintegrate them into formal education by providing learning materials and academic support. To ensure long-term impact, the group intends to equip parents with skills training and provide seed funding to help them establish small businesses.
“We believe that if you want someone to stop a practice, you must provide viable alternatives,” the group emphasised.
The organisation plans to refill abandoned mining pits, reclaim degraded lands, and promote agriculture to restore the environment and create sustainable income sources.
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