Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has endorsed the ban imposed on illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) by the government and urged galamseyers in the Ashanti Region to comply with the edict.

The ban was imposed by Minister of Lands and Natural Resources John Peter Amewu after a nationwide campaign that resulted in an absolute stop to all illegal mining.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu gave his support to the ban when Mr Amewu and his two deputies as well as other government officials and the Australian High Commissioner paid a courtesy call on him on Friday, 19 May.

“The suspension of the small-scale mining is fine. We need to plead with the small scale miners to understand this: that government is not saying that you can’t mine but for now, please stop for them to come up with a better programme,” the Asantehene said.

The Asante monarch lauded Mr Amewu for his feat and urged him to continue cracking down on small-scale mining: “Mr Minister, please continue. Your ministers are supporting you. We support you and want you to do the right thing for Ghana. You are not doing it for yourself, you are doing it for generations yet unborn.”