Consult traditional authorities before granting mining concessions on stool lands — Baffour Sikabede to gov’t

Baffour Sikabede questioned whether Ghana would recognise traditional authorities as partners in environmental enforcement or leave them powerless while concessions were granted over lands entrusted to their care.

According to him, traditional rulers are not merely ceremonial figures but among the oldest environmental regulators in Ghana, having historically used customary rules and taboos to protect natural resources.“The real question at this crossroads is whether Ghana in 2026 will treat traditional authorities as partners in enforcement or leave us to watch while concessions are signed away on lands we hold in trust,” he stated.