It is unacceptable to grant mining rights without Chiefs – Asantehene

The Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs has called on government authorities to stop granting mining concessions without consulting local chiefs, who are the custodians of the land.

This comes as the Minerals Commission reviews the country’s 2006 Minerals and Mining Act.

At a recent meeting with officials of the Commission, the Asantehene and President of the House, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, spoke candidly about what he sees as a deeply flawed process.

“It is unacceptable to grant mining concessions from Accra without consulting our traditional leaders. This practice must end if we expect chiefs to effectively oversee and protect their lands,” Otumfuo said.

He noted that chiefs are compiling formal recommendations for the Minerals Commission to consider during the policy review.

Many chiefs argue that excluding them from concession decisions not only sparks local tensions but also robs communities of the benefits from mining activities.

In response, Deputy Lands Minister Yusif Sulemana assured the traditional leaders that reforms are on the way.

He said the government plans to replace the current “community mining” model with “cooperative mining,” which is intended to keep profits in the hands of local communities.

Sulemana added that chiefs will play a supervisory role under the new arrangement.

With the Mining Act now under review, many traditional leaders see this as a rare opportunity to ensure that their voices are finally heard.

For mining-affected communities, it could be a long-overdue step toward fairer outcomes.