Deputy Lands and Natural Resources Minister, George Mireku Duker is fuming over the decision by the chiefs and people of Asante Mampong to stop all forms of mining in the area.

The chiefs and people of the area are resisting vehemently any plans by government or any individual planning to engage in mining (galamsey) activities.

Residents of Asante Mampong in the Ashanti Region on Wednesday, December 7, 2022, addressed a press conference registering their protest over plans to commence mining in the area.

The residents say mining activities in the area will affect them negatively.

But Deputy Lands and Natural Resources Minister, George Mireku Duker says such actions will not be tolerated, adding that such a decision will create chaos in the country.

He said if a chief is allowed to say “I don’t want any mining, [and] another can also say I’m not interested in oil so don’t even cross my town and go and get any crude oil, another chief will also say I don’t want to see my forest degraded, no timber, someone will also say I want my cocoa and process my own chocolates, so nobody should come to my jurisdiction or farm, my people will farm, we will buy our own cocoa, don’t come and buy cocoa from us, is that how we want to run the country?”