Ashanti chiefs are neck-deep into doing galamsey, confesses Otumfuo Ahenenana Hene

From the attached video clip, the Otumfuo Ahenenananom Hene Nana Kwame Mensah-Bonsu, asserts on authority that most of the Ashanti Region paramount chiefs, Abrempon and sub-chiefs are all into doing extensive galamsey. No wonder that the national fight against galamsey is yielding no positive results but faltering.

It is a shame that these chiefs who are supposed to protect the water bodies, virgin forests, arable and fertile lands and our cocoa farms for the survivability and sustainability of Ghanaians are rather those destroying them for their selfish parochial interests of getting super rich overnight and by illegal means.

I will come back to treat this topic extensively another time as today is the funeral of my father-in-law, the late Hon. Philip Basoah, the Member of Parliament for Kumawu Constituency, hence being without much interest in writing any article. Nevertheless, let me convey to the attention of Ghanaians the import of the statements made by Nana Mensah-Bonsu in the video.

Firstly, Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, could directly or otherwise, be involved in the destructive illegal and alluvial mining (galamsey) going on in the Ashanti region, wreaking such level of gargantuan devastation to the above stated elements of life. If he were not, but claiming to own the entirety of Ashanti Region land with any chief occupying any portion of it doing so as a caretaker to the land in his behalf, he could have destooled them. However, as the alleged chiefs doing galamsey are still in post with Otumfuo and his lieutenants just watching and bemoaning their actions without taking any concrete steps to stop them goes to confirm that he is 90-100% supportive of their involvement in the galamsey activities.

Secondly, Nana Mensah-Bonsu’s assertions go to confirm that Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has no absolute control over the chiefs and the cadastral lands they occupy as allotted to them by Sir Fuller during the colonial days.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II like his predecessors since the restoration of the Asante Confederacy in 1935 is only a Ceremonial Head hence without any absolute right of exercise of power over the member divisions or states within the Asante Confederacy, now the Asanteman Council.

If Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has power over the chiefs of the other paramountcies within Asanteman, why does he not issue a command to them to quit their galamsey activities or risk destoolment?

Many a time had I come out to challenge Otumfuo Osei Tutu II on some public statements he makes, or certain lines of actions he takes, as though he is all powerful and owns everything in Ashanti Region, if not Ghana.

Just check the contents of the web link below to familiarise yourself with the limitations of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II as the head of Asanteman.

Read More: RE: All Ashanti lands belong to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II with all other Ashanti chiefs being simply caretakers to the lands they occupy and with no family-owning lands in Ashanti

Any discerning Ghanaian will agree with me to how far Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II can exercise his authority in Ashanti Region.

It is just out of pure ignorance that many an Ashanti person or Ghanaian, holds him higher and above who and what he actually is.

One of the most respected and disciplined chiefs in Ashanti Region who does not tolerate galamsey activities on his land is Juabenhene Nana Otuo Serebour II, although being human, he may have his buts.

I shall suggest to the subjects or inhabitants of the divisions in Ashanti Region where galamsey activities are taking place to revolt against their chiefs or kick them out of office.

Galamsey is destroying our water bodies at such an alarming speed that something must be done about it now before it becomes a had I known to us.

Manso-Nkwantahene had better issue orders for the devastating galamsey activities ongoing in his area of jurisdiction to stop before I assist Nana Mensah-Bonsu to incite his subjects to remove him from his traditional office.

Rockson Adofo

Saturday, 20 May 2023 of the day of the burial of Hon. Philip Basoah (MP).