The Omanhene of the Lower Axim traditional area Awulae Attibrukusu III has described the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia led government as jokers when it comes to the fight against illegal mining otherwise known as ‘galamsey’.
Awulae says it is utterly erroneous for anyone to blame the canker on the chiefs when about 90 per cent of galamsey activities in the country is being perpetrated by politicians.
According to him, even though some indigenes are complicit of the crime, a bunch of the harm come from politicians who usually dwell on the “order from above” phrase to get their people freed when caught up with the law.
Delivering his speech at the grand durbar of the Axim Kundum Saturday, September 9, 2023, in Twi, Attibrukusu III highlighted on the authority of the government to halt the importation and/or production of the changfan device that’s used to destroy water bodies in the country.
He says when that is done, accessibility to the device to destroy water bodies will be nonexistent.
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“When people refer to a particular family not dying early, it doesn’t mean they don’t die early but on the average, about 70 to 80 per cent of them don’t die early. That’s the reason we classify them as such so if we say the politicians are those doing the galamsey, you should understand us.
“The most annoying part is when these politicians order culprits to be released when arrested all in the name of ”’order from above’. Who is an enemy of the state?
“Let’s look at the state of the Ankobra [river]. What crime did we commit? We understand some of us indigenes are also part but the politicians are those causing most of the harm. About 10 per cent of the chiefs are involved and the rest are politicians.
“Can’t the government stop the production and importation of changfans into this country? Do I have the power to do that? That’s why I will always say that they are jokers. They have never made up their minds to end galamsey.
“It is a challenge I’m throwing to the government to stop the changfan. When it’s banned, the people cannot use it here. The galamsey is destroying our water bodies and we are having so much challenges so we plead with the government to stop defending people when they are caught,” Awulae fumed.
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He cautioned the government to leave out the traditional authority when it comes to issues of galamsey because “recently I stopped some people from doing some in my paramouncy.”
“I’ve occupied this stool for 35 years and this is the first Kundum that we had to go Takoradi buy ice (fish) because the fishes in the sea have been driven away by the contaminated water from the rivers resulting from galamsey so we don’t get catch when we go fishing,” he added.
