“Thank you, Mr. President, for allowing me to be President for the next 30 minutes” – Otumfuo

Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II thanked President John Dramani Mahama. He appreciated the opportunity to speak at the Global Mining Summit. The event took place in Accra on June 2.

During his speech, he said, “Thank you, Excellency the President, for allowing me to be President of Ghana for the next 30 minutes.” He expressed gratitude for this honor.

He mentioned his son’s involvement in mining. His son was trained by Sam Jonah and Ibrahim Mahama. This training influenced his son's career choice.

The Asantehene called for action against illegal mining activities. He highlighted pollution of water bodies and destruction of forests. He stated that these issues cannot continue unchecked.

He noted that regulatory failures and corruption complicate efforts to address these problems. There is an opportunity to explore policy options and tools available.

He also spoke about a new initiative called Goldbod. This initiative could boost investment and increase yields in the industry. It adds urgency to addressing current challenges.

President Mahama reported progress in removing illegal miners from forest reserves. His government has successfully cleared eight out of nine designated no-go zones.