The Asantehene, His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, wants financiers of illegal mining (galamsey) in the Ashanti Region to be exposed rather than being shielded.

He expressed concern that the real culprits behind galamsey are being protected while the labourers who work for pittances in the illegal mining sites are arrested.

Speaking in his native Asante Twi, the King said it is preposterous for chiefs in the Ashanti Region to pretend they don’t know galamsey is ongoing in their communities, and who the financiers are.

Regrettably, he said, the labourers are arrested, and their photographs are taken to pretend something good is being done to combat illegal mining.

Otumfuo asked whether these labourers have the money to buy the excavators and changfan machines used for galamsey.

“It is somebody who has bought all this expensive equipment. These labourers have no jobs, so they take them as casual workers and pay them small amounts of money.”

Otumfuo says illegal miners smuggle out the gold denying the government foreign exchange to develop the nation.

“The gold goes through the airport and nobody sees them.”

His Majesty warned that “if we don’t rise up and arrest the financiers behind the galamsey, we will not be making much headway in the fight against illegal mining”.

Otumfuo reminded chiefs in the Ashanti Region that in the past, people undertook mining, but they did it responsibly without destroying the rivers and lands.

“I have told nananom at the Regional House of Chiefs, that it will be naive to say they don’t know anything about the galamsey going on in their areas. If indeed you don’t know anything about it, can’t you also see the pollution of your rivers?”

Otumfuo said the financiers of galamsey influence the chiefs by giving them money and gold.

His Majesty said chiefs, government officials and politicians, in general, are all complicit in this galamsey menace.

“They buy the excavators, business people buy the excavators.”

The King said all must take the fight against galamsey seriously.

“If we don’t take care, our cocoa will be rejected on the international market because it will be contaminated with cyanide. Our gold too could be rejected on the international market because of illegal mining.”

As part of the Otumfuo Commemorative Gold Coin project, the Asantehene called for support to win his war against illegal mining in the Ashanti Region.