Damongo, Abdulai Zulkaninu, – Jira Yagbonwura Bii-kunuto Jewu Soale I, the Overlord and King of the Gonja Kingdom has given massive approval of the Gonja Traditional Council and Savannah Regional House of Chiefs to support the government of Ghana to fight illegal mining in Ghana and create more opportunities for young people.
Jira Yagbonwura Bii-kunuto Jewu Soale I explained that the Gonja Kingdom has the largest land area and is ready to support government to protect the natural deposits.
Jira Yagbonwura said this during a courtesy call by Ghana’s Lands and Natural Resources minister, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah on Thursday 26th March, 2026, at the Jakpa palace in Damongo.
The ministry’s visit forms part of a working tour of northern Ghana, a region increasingly growing with mining activities.
The visit underscores government’s broader stakeholder engagement strategy aimed at strengthening partnerships with traditional leaders in combating illegal mining while promoting responsible and sustainable natural resource management in Ghana.
The Paramount Chief of Mankpan traditional area, Mankpanwura Jakpa Achorde Borenyi I spoke on behalf of Jira Yagbonwura Bii-kunuto.
Jira Yagbonwura Bii-kunuto noted that the lands of Ghana contain natural deposits such as gold, lithium, salt, forest but expressed concern over rising youth unemployment, which he identified as a major driver of illegal mining, charcoal production, and logging in the Savannah region of Ghana.
He therefore, appealed to the government through the minister to extend job opportunities in legal mining and other sectors to create sustainable livelihoods for young people.
Jira Yagbonwura cautioned against mining in water sources and forest reserves and commended John Mahama administration for ongoing efforts to restore polluted water bodies, noting visible improvements in recent times.
On his part, the minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah expressed gratitude to the chiefs and people of the Gonja Kingdom for the support and prayers. He said there is an urgent need for stronger collaboration between government and traditional authorities to tackle illegal mining and environmental degradation. He noted that a new mining bill currently being drafted will establish District Mining Committees to oversee mineral exploration and license issuance at the local level.
Armah Kofi Buah said decentralising the process will enhance accountability, improve monitoring, and promote responsible mining practices.
“Mining is a critical contributor to our economy, but it must be done responsibly to protect our lands and water bodies for future generations,” he stated.
As such, plans to decentralise the issuance of mining licenses to the district level as part of renewed efforts to curb illegal mining (galamsey) are far advanced.
Hon. Buah was accompanied by a high-level delegation including his deputy Hon.Yussif Sulemana and officials from the Minerals and Forestry Commissions.
The minister highlighted the government’s commitment under the leadership of John Dramani Mahama to support youth through structured and legal mining initiatives. These include skills training, provision of equipment, and the creation of designated mining zones under cooperative frameworks.
Hon. Buah also revealed key interventions such as the Blue Water Guards initiative, which is aimed at safeguarding Ghana’s water resources from pollution caused by illegal mining activities.
