The chiefs of Aowin Traditional Area in the Western North Region have collaborated with the fetish priests and priestesses in the area to perform the necessary rituals to totally ban illegal mining activities also called ‘galamsey’ in the area.
The chiefs bemoaned the fact that the people in the area will be the first to suffer the negative consequences if illegal mining persistd in the area.
“There is no doubt about the fact that we are the custodians of all Stool Lands of Aowin Traditional Area and hold them in trust for our people, our ancestors and the generation to come”, they emphasized.
They said the gods of the land through the fetish priests have warned that the chiefs, Odikros and all who are alleged to have directly or indirectly been engaging in the illegal act and destroying water bodies, will soon face their wrath.
They said it will therefore be wrongful on their part and will be blamed by the ancestors and posterity, if they sat aloof and allow the illegal activities to go on.
“We therefore have to take direct responsibility for the management of our natural resources and heritage”, they added.
Therefore, on Wednesday January 1, 2025 the necessary rituals were performed to appease the gods and to warn the illegal miners to halt the illegal business otherwise the gods will not spare them.
Addressing the media after the extensive rituals, Nana Enoku Panyin III, Chief of Old Yakasi said the chiefs have put in adequate measures to enforce the ban adding “And no one should dare go against the order”.
“The ban is on all forms of illegal mining including the ones currently going on in the forest reserves and the ones causing wanton devastation to our rivers and streams and the ban took effect from Friday, January 3, 2025′, he stressed.
He also noted that small-scale miners licensed by the government, through the Minerals Commission to undertake mining, are required to bring their documents of authorisation to the attention of the Aowin Traditional Council.
“So that Nananom could get these miners sign an undertaking to protect our waterbodies and forests reserves”.
“If any of them go against the undertaking, not only will we resort to prosecuting them but they will also face the wrath of the gods. So please, be warned accordingly”, he pointed out.
He also mentioned that the miners who have over the years failed to reclaim mined areas should avail themselves at the palace for the necessary measures to be put in place to ensure the reclamation of those areas.
