Africa-Press – Ghana. Dr Maxwell Boakye, Western Regional Member for the Council of State, has appealed to citizens in the Western Region to unite in the quest for an accelerated socio-economic development.
He said the Region abounds in natural and mineral resources, yet it lagged in development.
Dr Boakye noted that there were sharp divisions and disunity among some traditional rulers which did not augur well for the rapid development of the Western Region.
He was speaking at the Nzemamanle Traditional Council meeting at Ambainu in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region.
The event, which was on the theme,” Unity”, brought together chiefs, queen mothers, politicians, council of state members, corporate organizations, and the media.
Dr Boakye said the Region produced a chunk of cocoa, timber and other mineral resources but was yet to receive her share of the national cake.
He pledged his readiness to lead the traditional council to the Flagstaff House to present their case to the President of the Republic for the Region to get her share of the national cake.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah assured the Council that government would partner them to administer mining activities in their communities.
The Minister said though the Western Region was endowed with abundant natural resources, their exploitation should be done responsibly and sustainably for economic growth without degrading the environment.
He said a new mining regulatory committee was being formed at the District Assembly which would empower traditional rulers as the first point of call in the new licensing regime.
Mr Kofi Buah said under the new community mining scheme, part of the concessions of large-scale mining companies would be ceded to the host communities for sustainable mining under the new cooperative mining code.
That, the Minister believed, would mitigate the penchant of the youth for illegal mining activities.
Mr Kofi Buah disclosed that some large-scale mining companies dole out part of their concessions to illegal miners to pollute the environment and that investigations were underway to arrest the culprits.
Mr Kofi Buah who doubles as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ellembelle, assured the Council that issues affecting the Nzema area and the Western Region such as road infrastructure, education and promotion and preservation of the Nzema language would be addressed by the government.
Paramount Chief of the Lower Axim Traditional Area and President of the Lower Axim Traditional Council, Awulae Attibrukusu III advised traditional rulers in the Nzema area and the Region, to unite and forget about their differences.
Awulae Attibrukusu III spoke on the need to fight the galamsey menace by burning Chanfang used for illegal mining activities popularly called galamsey.
The Paramount Chief also called for stiffer punishment and jail terms for illegal miners to deter others who might want to indulge in galamsey.
He, therefore, called on the government to revoke fake mining licenses and issue genuine ones in the quest for sustainable mining practices.
He said the Nzemamanle Traditional Council was ready to team up with the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and the government to fight against galamsey activities.
Awulae Attibrukusu III called for community -sponsored mining initiated by the people themselves in a sustainable manner to create more jobs for people in the communities.
The Lower Axim Paramount Chief chastised Municipal and District Chief Executives in the Nzema area who refused to attend Nzemamanle Council meetings with the exception of the DCE for Ellembelle, Mr Joseph Agyekum.
Paramount Chief of the Nsein Traditional Council, Awulae Agyevi Kwame said between 2017 and 2024, the Ashanti Region ranked first in terms of Ghana National Gas developmental projects in the Regions.
Awulae Agyevi Kwame called for a change in the trend for the Western Region to witness an unprecedented development this time round.
Paramount Chief of the Gwira Traditional Area, Awulae Angama Tu Agyan was worried that Okobeng Mines entered the Gwira area without prior consent of traditional rulers and had been mining there for years without pitching even one borehole in the area.
He said Okobeng Mines masterminded the arrest of three of his chiefs for trying to have access to their own land.
Awulae Angama Tu Agyan said once Okobeng Mines came to the Gwira area, nobody was allowed to step on their concessions to cut even bamboo.
He prayed to the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources that Okobeng Mines were trying to come back to Gwira but the Ministry should not approve any license for them to Mine.
The Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana National Gas Company
Limited, Madam Judith Adjobah Blay whose speech was read for her by Mr Abizi Morkeh, an employee at Ghana Gas, said she would continue to engage traditional rulers to chat a common path in bringing more development to the Western Region and the catchment area of the project.
She advised the youth to pursue higher education especially in the Engineering and Technical fields to merit employment by the Company.
Madam Judith Adjobah Blay said the Company would give a fair employment slot to youth in the Nzema area and the Western Region.
She assured the people that phase two of the Ghana National Gas Company Limited would soon materialize as well as an ultra-modern trauma hospital which was 70% complete.
Madam Judith Adjobah Blay assured the Nzemamanle Traditional Council that from 2025 to 2028, the Nzema area and the Western Region would rank first in terms of developmental projects initiated by the Ghana National Gas Company.
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