1 day Ago By News Ghana
News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, News Ghana, https://newsghana.com.gh/ghana-minister-advocates-expanded-chief-authority-to-combat-illegal-mining/Ghana’s Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has called for enhanced powers for traditional leaders to address illegal mining (galamsey) and accelerate local development.
Speaking on State of Affairs with Joshua Kodjo Mensah, Ibrahim criticized the current limitations faced by chiefs in regulating mining activities within their jurisdictions.“If chiefs were empowered to summon individuals mining illegally, we’d see transformative change,” Ibrahim said, highlighting a recurring issue where miners bypass traditional authority. “A miner receives a permit from the lands minister, enters a chief’s domain, and ignores their summons.
What recourse does the chief have?”Ibrahim stressed that chiefs, as custodians of ancestral lands, lack the legal authority to enforce compliance, undermining efforts to curb environmentally destructive practices. Granting them formal jurisdiction, he argued, would expedite anti-galamsey efforts and foster community-led development.“Chiefs are the true custodians.
Restore their power, and you enable swift, sustainable progress,” he asserted.The proposal comes amid persistent challenges in Ghana’s fight against illegal mining, which has devastated water bodies and forests. While the government has launched numerous crackdowns, weak enforcement and corruption often hinder results.
Ibrahim’s appeal underscores a growing debate over decentralizing environmental governance to leverage traditional systems.Critics, however, warn of potential abuses of power without clear oversight frameworks. The ministry has not yet detailed how such authority would be structured or regulated.
As Ghana grapples with balancing economic interests and ecological preservation, Ibrahim’s push signals a potential shift toward integrating traditional leadership into national policy—a move that could redefine resource management in mining-affected regions. News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, News Ghana, https://newsghana.com.
gh/ghana-minister-advocates-expanded-chief-authority-to-combat-illegal-mining/.
