Okyenhene Was The First King To Speak Against Illegal Mining Activities In Ghana… Akufo Addo

President Akufo Addo has praised Okyenhene and Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin for advocating for the protection of the lands, forests, and water bodies God has blessed Ghana with from being destroyed by illegal miners.

According to him, when Okyenhene ascended onto the Ofori Panin stool in 1999, he registered his displeasure about the activities of the illegal miners and warned that if measures were not put in place to regularize the mining work, it would hurt the country in some years to come.

President Nana Addo emphatically stated that Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin was the first King in Ghana who spoke against the illegal miners who were destroying our lands, forest reserves, and water bodies*.

The advocacy by Okyenhene to protect these natural resources for future generations has now become a national issue, and many Ghanaians have joined the call to find a remedy to the illegal mining menace.

The Ghana President made these known at Ofori Panin Fie, Kyebi on Saturday, October 12, 2024, during the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin.

Nana Akufo Addo used the opportunity to congratulate Osagyefuo Ofori Panin for his 25th golden jubilee anniversary and also for contributing to the growth and development of Okyenman and Ghana as a whole and asking God’s blessings upon his life to live long.

The Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, on his part, said that the fight against the illegal miners must be a collective responsibility that shouldn’t be rested on the government’s shoulders alone.

“Today because of quick money, some of the cocoa farmers are giving their lands to illegal miners to use them for mining, and this is very worrying,” he noted.

He furthered by saying that one thing about these illegal miners was that they operated at night when everybody was asleep and it would be difficult to arrest or stop them at that time.

The Overload of Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council mentioned that should the citizens have a change in mindset and come together as one people, we can fight the canker and save our forest reserves, lands, and water bodies from being damaged to restore the land.

Source// Obohnewsonline.com.

By// Kontihen Kofi Oboh.