Members of the Kumasi Traditional Council have cautioned the new government not to repeat the actions of the previous government in allocating minerals explorations and mining concessions to companies and individuals without consulting them as custodians of the land.
They have also accused the Lands Commission of allegedly selling stool lands on the blind side of the chiefs.
These concerns were raised at the meeting of the Traditional Council in Kumasi. The meeting, chaired by the Bantamahene, Baffuo Asare Owusu Amankwatia who deputised for the Asantehene, discussed many other issues of concern to the chiefs and people of the Ashanti region.
In his remarks, the Bantamahene noted that the operations of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), lacked transparency in their revenue generation, gross disrespect to the traditional authority as well as the poor sanitation, which is posing serious health hazards to the residents. These tendencies, Amankwatia warned, must be stopped in the interest of Kumasi's development.
He said the Traditional Council will no longer sit unconcerned for matters to be taken for granted, adding that the chiefs are only seeking to actively partake in the governance of Kumasi and not to usurp the powers of the political authority.
Baffuo Amankwatia, therefore, proposed for the consideration of the Asantehene, the setting up of a Standing Committee that will serve as the development wing of the Council so as to keep Nananom constantly updated on development issues of the city.
A linguist of the Asantehene, Kyeame Kwaku Owusu, blamed traditional leaders for the upsurge in illegal gold mining activities within the region that have already caused irreparable destruction to arable lands and water sources.
He categorically accused some of the chiefs for fronting for the ‘galamsey’ operators to fulfill their personal interest at the expense of their communities and the unborn generations. He also rejected attempts by successive governments to sideline traditional leaders in giving out mining concessions to miners.
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