I was nearly killed when I exposed galamsey chiefs – Akwasi Addai Odike

Ghanaian businessman and politician Akwasi Addai Odike claims that Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II’s recent deposition of some sub-chiefs has vindicated him.

Odike stated that when he first claimed that some Ashanti Region chiefs were engaging in illegal mining and land sales, he was vilified and nearly killed.

However, the recent destooling of some regional chiefs has vindicated him, he said in an interview with Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the overlord of Asante, has in recent times embarked on the de-stooling of five of his chiefs in four months on charges of illegal mining, also known as Galamsey, multiple land sales, and a violation of customs and traditions, among other things.

They are Nana Kwame Owusu Agyeman, chief of Antoa; Nana Nketia Boampong II, chief of Kwaso; Nana Saforo Koto, chief of Bekwai-Abodom; Nana Osei Tiri Ababio, chief of Aduamoa; and the Abuontemhene, Nana Kwaku Duah III, who was deposed on Monday, August 21, 2023.

Speaking on the subject, Mr. Odike praised the Asantehene for taking the risk of destooling the chiefs.

He stated that more chiefs are guilty and will be exposed very soon.

”God is a great God, and he will vindicate you if you are truthful. Some chiefs are self-centred and only care about what benefits them, so they avoid any form of development. They sell lands and have done all of these evil things, depriving the people of what is rightfully theirs. Some of them take out loans just to become chiefs, and once they are, they sell stool loans to pay off their debts. They don’t care about the people’s interests.”

He said ”I had to publicly declare my comments because ”what they [Chiefs] were doing was not the best, and thus they did not like what I did. So they arranged for people to come and kill me. They came to my office and shot at me, attempting to kill me. But God was gracious to me and spared my life”.

”If the Asantehene is doing this, I must commend him,” he added. He was not present when the incident occurred, but when he returned and you examined what he had done, I had to commend him. That means whatever I said was true, and I felt vindicated”.

He thanked Ghanaians for their support when the issue became public, adding that ”the media has also done extremely well. Their dedication to the fight against illegal mining has been exceptional”.