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 organisations, and the media.
Dr Boakye notes that 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 indicated that 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 also 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.
Additionally, Mr Kofi Buah stated that 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.
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.
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 mentioned that once Okobeng
