The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has made a strong call to action on illegal mining during a major event in at the Jubilee House on June 2, 2025, where he sent a clear message to President John Dramani Mahama and other key leaders. He said that Ghana and Africa must take bold steps to stop illegal mining and benefit fully from their natural resources.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II said illegal mining, popularly known as “galamsey”, continues to grow because of weak regulation, political mistakes, and corruption. According to him, these problems make it hard to win the fight against galamsey.
“It cannot be denied that a mix of regulatory failures, political miscalculations, and corruption have made the task of curbing this menace very difficult,” he stated.
The summit, held under the theme “Sustainable Mining and Local Growth – Leveraging Resources for Global Impact”, brought together government officials, mining experts, traditional leaders, and businesspeople. Among them were President Mahama, former President John Agyekum Kufuor, businessman Ibrahim Mahama, and mining giant Sir Sam Jonah.
In his powerful speech, Otumfuo lamented that Africa is still poor despite its rich mineral resources. He said most of the value from Africa’s gold, bauxite, and other minerals is taken by foreign companies that process the raw materials into finished goods abroad.
“We dig the minerals, but the real money is made outside Africa,” he said. “We need to build factories here in Ghana and Africa to refine our resources ourselves.”
President Mahama agreed with Otumfuo’s concerns. He said his government is determined to move beyond just digging raw minerals. He announced plans to refine Ghana’s gold, process bauxite into aluminum, and produce lithium batteries locally.
He also promised to formalize small-scale mining, stop the use of dangerous chemicals like mercury, and protect water bodies and forests from destruction. The president added that all excavators will now need permits before entering the country, to help track and prevent illegal mining.
President Mahama said Ghana needs fair partnerships—where both foreign investors and local people benefit. “We must work together to make sure our mineral wealth lifts our people out of poverty,” he said.
Otumfuo’s visit to Jubilee House and his strong message are being praised across the country as a bold step towards fixing Ghana’s mining problems and protecting its future.
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