Corruption, political missteps undermining ‘Galamsey’ fight – Asantehene warns

Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has highlighted corruption and political miscalculations. He believes these issues hinder the fight against illegal mining, known as 'galamsey'. Despite many efforts, these challenges have persisted over the years.

Speaking at the Global Mining Summit in Accra on June 2, he warned about environmental threats. Illegal mining is destroying water bodies and harming the country’s future. He called for urgent action to stop these activities.

"The pollution of our water bodies cannot continue unchecked," he stated. He noted that regulatory failures and corruption complicate efforts to address this issue. "We can calmly discuss policy options to tackle the problem," he added.

He praised the government's Gold for Oil (Gold4Oil) initiative. This program could attract more investment in the mining industry. It also has potential to boost production yields significantly.

"The new Goldbod initiative is creative and necessary," he said. It brings urgency to addressing current challenges in the industry.