The Tunuhene of Hwidiem in Asante Akyem, Nana Odidwour  Baah  Kokoroko III, says the chiefs should not be blamed for the rise in illegal mining activities, also known as galamsey in the country but rather blame the politicians.

According to him, the period of democracy practiced by these politicians has made them redundant and hence can no long avert powers of their people.

He said the only way to fight the galamsey menace is to give chiefs the power over the lands they oversee without government interference.

“We are all against galamsey but these politicians in our country are not ready to put a stop to it. They always give orders over our lands and we don’t even have the power to oversee lands that are in our town. They should stop allow us to oversee these lands” he said.

Listen to the chief

On his part, the Deputy Minister of the Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Paul Essien, says the chiefs and other traditional authorities will be needed to fight the menace and other chieftaincy conflicts.

For this reason he noted the ministry is set to educate the chiefs on how to handle chieftaincy conflicts and galamsey activities in the country.