Daasebere Osei Bonsu II, the Paramount Chief of Mampong, has shared his experience with illegal mining (galamsey) in his paramountcy and how he fought it, urging his colleague chiefs to emulate same in their respective jurisdictions.

The galamsey menace has become a problem several governments have been battling in the country and Daasebre thinks the traditional authority can play a role in overcoming the canker.

Apart from challenging the Minerals Commission for sitting aloof to allow galamsey prevail in many communities, the Mampongmanhene says he personally kicked the illegal miners out of his paramountcy and wants other chiefs to do same.

“Some of the paramountcies have to be very bold and stick their neck and chest out to challenge the Minerals Commission and the others.

“Far from sounding boastful I kicked them out of my kingdom so they can’t come to Mampong and dig any hole for gold. I have set the pace and now others within the Ashanti kingdom paramountcies have been bold and assertive in challenging the Minerals Commission so please be bold,” he said at the 32nd Christof Heyns African Human Rights Moot Court Competition being hosted by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi.

Sompaonline.com/Nana Yaw Boamah