The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has urged the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Ghana Medical Association (GMA), University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), and other professional bodies to maintain their strong opposition to illegal mining activities, which continue to wreak havoc on the country’s water bodies and environment.
His call follows recent statements from UTAG, GMA, and GBA condemning illegal mining and advocating for a ban on both small-scale and illegal mining practices.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II praised the President of the Ghana Bar Association for his firm stance against illegal mining and encouraged other influential leaders to take similarly bold action. He emphasized that illegal mining poses a serious environmental threat and questioned the legal system’s handling of those responsible for polluting water sources.
“Galamsey is a national environmental enemy. What could be more critical than the entire water supply system being at risk? I believe the Bar Association should use this conference to set up a panel to tour affected communities and assess the crisis, then deliberate on how the laws should respond,” he said.
He further questioned, “If an individual poisoned a community’s water supply, they would face severe legal consequences. What does the law say when someone pours mercury into the same water, knowing it’s deadly? This is an urgent issue requiring collective action from all sectors of society. Doing nothing is no longer an option.”
The Asantehene also recounted a personal experience during a visit to Cape Coast, where he witnessed the heavy pollution of the River Pra, describing it as a deeply embarrassing situation.
“On my way to Cape Coast, I stopped at the River Pra, and what I saw was shocking and embarrassing. If we allow this to continue as a nation, we must fight it no matter the cost,” he said.