The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources' National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAELP) paid a courtesy call on His Majesty Osagyefo Nana Amoatia Ofori Panin II, the Paramount Chief of the Akyem Abuakwa traditional area, to inform him of the start of the national land reclamation programme in the Eastern Region and to enlist his support.
While reminding the team and everyone present that "it is customary practise to protect for ourselves what we have today, but added that protecting for the future is equally important," the King praised the Government and NAELP for the initiative, saying it was in line with his mission to preserve the environment for the benefit of future generations.
He also praised the government for implementing land reclamation, comparing it to other comparable initiatives like the Free Senior High School, planting for food and employment, and numerous others from which the country will gain greatly in the future.
On behalf of the Ghanaian people, His Majesty also talked about the government's power as the custodian of all the country's mineral riches. As a result, people who claim that mineral resources are theirs do so ignorantly.
The King also discussed the significance of ensuring that Ghana as a whole, and not just a portion of it, saw growth, noting that "the majority of Ghanaians still lived in poor and rural Ghana, and for most of such folks, Their sole heritage was land, thus programmes that aim to preserve lands and safeguard the environment are very laudable."
The crew was warned to work hard and devotedly and not to put riches and profit before of service and hard labour. He also said that it was his goal for the repaired areas to be maintained so that they would not be harmed again.
The Regional Minister, Honorable Seth Acheampong, who was in charge of the delegation that met with the King on Friday, June 24, 2022, at the Palace, gave a brief introduction before introducing the reclamation team and briefly outlining the rationale behind the visit, stating that "This call was made in honour of and to acknowledge the crucial part that As the caretaker of the Eastern Region's chosen lands, His Majesty Osagyefo will shortly commence reclamation work in July.
In her capacity as the National Coordinator of NAELP, Dr. Louise Carol Donkor gave His Majesty a summary of the organization's founding under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. According to her, under the direction of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, NAELP will carry out land reclamation and a number of other crucial interventions in the fight against illegal mining.
Providing alternative job possibilities for illegal miners is another crucial NAELP intervention, according to Dr. Donkor, who also noted that reclamation and restoration are progressive processes that require time and significant resources.
Dr. Donkor delivered mementos imprinted with the Ministry's crest and the NAELP emblem as a symbolic gesture of gratitude for His Majesty's support for the programme on behalf of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in order for the Team to conduct the exercise in the area.
Honorable Akosua Asabea Annor, the municipal chief executive of Abuakwa South, and Mr. Thomas Jojo Tsiboe-Darko, the ministry's consultant on reclamation and restoration of degraded mined out areas, were also present on this call with the delegation.
In the five mining districts of Ghana, a total of around 1,000 hectares of degraded mined out lands will be recovered and restored this year.