Agona (W/R), Feb. 23, – Chiefs within the operational enclave of the Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) have declared that they will not intervene to protect any traditional ruler arrested for engaging in illegal mining activities on the company’s concession.
The firm position was taken at the Annual General Meeting of the Association of Chiefs on Whose Lands GREL Operates (ACLANGO), amid growing concerns over the destruction of rubber plantations through illegal mining, popularly known as “galamsey.”
Nana Kwesi Agyeman IX, Chairman of ACLANGO, said chiefs were duty-bound to protect the environment and support lawful enterprise, not undermine it.
“As chiefs, we are expected to lead the fight against these destructive activities. I hear some of us are even involved. Let it be clear — no chief will be backed or supported if arrested,” he cautioned.
He noted that illegal mining and the unchecked export of raw rubber were negatively affecting the country’s rubber industry. According to him, the seven rubber-processing companies in Ghana were struggling to operate at full capacity due to disruptions in supply.
He urged stakeholders to halt activities that threaten production levels and local employment opportunities.
Nana Kwesi Agyeman also commended GREL for expanding weighing centres and investing in community infrastructure within its operational areas. However, he cautioned fellow chiefs against encroaching on lands legally allocated to the company, despite concerns about delayed compensation payments.
“We acknowledge compensation challenges, yet GREL continues to provide biannual support to chiefs. That is no justification to destroy farms or encroach on concession lands,” he added.
Mr Perry Acheampong, Corporate Affairs Manager of GREL, said the company remained committed to strengthening ties with host communities through social intervention projects.
He disclosed that in 2025 alone, GREL invested GH¢7.8 million in community initiatives and planned to construct teachers’ bungalows, nurses’ quarters, school facilities, support the Effia Nkwanta ICU project, and provide sanitation facilities.
Mr Acheampong warned that the export of raw rubber without value addition was depriving Ghana of foreign exchange earnings and local job creation.
He described illegal mining as a growing threat, revealing that 175 galamsey-related cases were recorded in 2025, with 42 additional cases reported between January and February this year. Affected communities include Kyekyewere, Bamianko, Kadadwen and Tetrem.
The Western Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Nelson, assured stakeholders of the region’s support for lawful industrial operations.
He described rubber as a strategic agricultural-industrial asset that must be protected to drive economic growth and industrialisation, urging chiefs to act as responsible custodians of the land.
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