The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP, on Friday, February 14, 2025, paid a courtesy call on the Asantehene, His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
Disclosing the purpose of his visit, the minister, who was accompanied by some heads of agencies under his ministry, stated that the blessings of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II are of paramount importance to him and the government.
Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah explained that as the government embarks on a mission to reform the mining and forest sub-sectors of the country, the support and guidance of Otumfuo would be extremely important.
The courtesy call was also to seek Otumfuo’s buy-in for the programs and projects under the ministry.
He eulogized the Asantehene for his outstanding and exemplary leadership, which has contributed to the absence of land-related disputes in the Ashanti Region. He also humbly appealed to Otumfuo to share his wisdom and leadership as he seeks to transform the lands sector through innovative and transformative projects.
On the issue of illegal mining, Hon. Armah-Kofi Buah commended Otumfuo for his past interventions and appealed for his continued support as the government charts a new path, which he believes will lead to a complete turnaround in the situation.
He decried the devastating impact of galamsey on the country, noting that 44 out of the nation’s 288 forest reserves have been destroyed by illegal mining activities. He also lamented the increasing turbidity levels of major water bodies, which have risen from 5,000 NTU to 12,000 NTU.
Hon. Armah-Kofi Buah emphasized the urgency of the situation and outlined some immediate and radical initiatives taken by the government to address the problem.
The measures include the establishment of an 18-member committee of experts to review the licensing regime, the reclassification of mining categories, and the overhaul of the Community Mining Scheme, among others.
“We are very grateful for Otumfuo’s advice and support for the reset agenda we’ve embarked on. We’ve laid out a plan to address key initiatives, beginning with the inauguration of the 18-member working committee. We are also reclassifying the mining categories and introducing medium-scale mining,” he indicated.
Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II commended the lands minister for the visit and expressed confidence in his ability to deliver. He also urged the heads of agencies and other officials under the ministry to give him the necessary support.
However, Otumfuo admonished Hon. Armah-Kofi Buah to address the root cause of illegal mining—youth unemployment.
He asserted that if the youth in mining areas are provided with meaningful and sustainable sources of livelihood, they would resist the temptation of mining in water bodies and forest reserves.
He also encouraged the government to go after the “big fishes” in the galamsey business by apprehending and prosecuting them, instead of focusing only on the youth who engage in mining for survival. He further urged the ministry to develop an alternative livelihood program to support the youth.
On the issue of public lands, Otumfuo advised the lands minister to ensure that the indiscriminate sale of public lands to government officials is halted under his tenure.
He praised the minister for the aggressive afforestation initiative and pledged his support for the project, citing the Tree for Life initiative as a laudable effort.
On his part, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, thanked Otumfuo for his support and advice and assured him that he would work with his colleague ministers to tackle the galamsey menace.
Earlier, Hon. Armah-Kofi Buah joined the Ministers of Interior, Hon. Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, and Defence, Hon. Dr. Edward Omane-Boamah, as well as the Ashanti Regional Minister, to tour the Afari Military Hospital. The project, which was initiated by the Mahama-led government in 2014, had stalled under the Akufo-Addo administration.