Dr Solomon Owusu a Ghanaian Mining Engineer and an Asante based in the United States of America (USA) has revealed that he has insurmountable evidence that some chiefs in the Ashanti kingdom are neck-deep in galamsey.
Speaking on the arrest of Chinese galamsey kingpin, Aisha Huang and the lacklustre approach by the state in the galamsey fight, Dr. Owusu noted that contrary views that chiefs are not to blame for the upsurge in the galamsey menace are unfounded as some chiefs in Asanteman are themselves galamseyers.
Speaking on Kumasi-Based Ultimate 106.9FM, he said.
‘‘Not all the chiefs but some of the chiefs are involved in galamsey, I can confidently say that a chief like Mamponghene is against galamsey, my own Adansihene Nana Opegyakotwere Bonsra Afriyie is against galamsey, so not all the chiefs, but some of the chiefs in the mining areas are involved, Odike said it and that is the truth’’
‘‘I have followed galamsey since 2017, and I have been relentlessly bashing the government on that matter, I have guys in mining areas they feed me with information here in America so whatever I say I have facts’’
‘‘I am telling you some of the chiefs are involved, go to Manso Nkwanta, Manso Adubia, Agroyesum, Konongo, Obuasi, some of the areas in Obuasi, go to Akrokerri, Jacobu Beposo all those places the gamalsey is ongoing ‘’
‘‘Go to Atwima Mponua, they are on the Offin River mining today, how can all those illegal miners engage in their activities without the knowledge of the chiefs’’
‘‘So don’t the chiefs see excavator going to the forest, the changfang, if they are not aware, why are they not calling them to question them, so if Odike’s says it, what is wrong about that’’, he observed.
Dr Solomon Owusu is however requesting an audience with Manhyia and the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to reveal to him Chiefs in his kingdom who is engaged in galamsey.
‘‘I challenge the chiefs to invite me to Ghana, and prove to them that some chiefs are involved, I will expose a lot of chiefs in the country and I am ready for that’’
” Let them invite me, I am Ashanti too, I will buy my own ticket, fly to Ghana, and do a PowerPoint presentation to Nana Oti Kokoosu Otumfuo Osei Tutu himself, for him to know that some of the chiefs are involved in the illegal mining activities I the country’’, he challenged.