In May 2014, there were media reports that a royal of the Ofori Panin Stool, Odehyee Nana Kwame Adjei Boateng, had accused Osagyefo Ofori Panin of being involved in galamsey and recommended his arrest.
Nana Boateng was said to have backed his allegation with receipts allegedly issued to a known galamsey operator from the Office of the Okyenhene.
But the Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, described the allegations as a mere fabrication by his detractors, including some of his family members opposed to his enstoolment.
Speaking on Asaase radio’s ‘Sunday Night’ show, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin said, he sometimes he feels very sad to the point that he shed tears when he hears people lying against him that he is engaged in galamsey.
He noted that, he possesses all the land in the Eastern region, therefore, there is no point in hiding himself and stealing the mineral resources on the land he owns.
“At one time in my relationship with the then Chief of Defence Staff, I begged him. I said it [galamsey] was getting out of hand and we should probably organise some of the military people to come here [Kyebi]. They did and even a week the whole thing has been shut down. A week later they [the politicians] called them [military] and said ‘don’t you know it’s an election year?
“So I’ve shed tears of anger and frustration where I sit about this and to the point that somebody will even say that I was engaged in galamsey. My answer to them is, I own all the lands, if I want to do galamsey, why would I want to go and steal it? I would go to the Minerals Commission and say I’m going to my land just give me the license.
“So the pain I shed was people not speaking the truth; lying about it all over,” Okyenhene observed.
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
