You are custodians of 80% of lands in the country; help me fight galamsey – Akufo-Addo beg Chiefs

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has admitted that he cannot fight the ongoing alarming illegal mining (galamsey) in the country alone.

As a result, he has called on Chiefs in the country to help him deal with the menace has caused the destruction of forest reserves and water bodies.

At a meeting with the National House of Chiefs in Kumasi on Wednesday, October 5, President Akufo-Addo appealed to the chiefs who are custodians of 80% of lands in Ghana to assist him to win the battle against galamsey.

“80 percent of the lands in this country continue to be under your custody, much of it having been acquired through the blood and sacrifices of your ancestors. The remainder of 20 percent which I hold in the trust of the people of Ghana, derived from state acquisition from you.

“What this means is that ultimately, the welfare of the state of the lands is our joint responsibility, although by statute the minerals in the soil belong to the president in trust for the people,” President Akufo-Addo said at the meeting.

The President added, “I ask all of you to join hands in the fight against illegal mining. We have to win that fight, to protect our heritage for the next generation.”

At the meeting, the Chiefs accepted the call by the President and stressed their willingness to play their part in the fight against illegal mining to protect forest reserves and the various water bodies.