The Leadership of the Association of Chiefs on Whose Lands GREL Operates, (ACLANGO) has warned that they will not rescue any chief arrested for illegal mining in the Ghana Rubber Estate, (GREL) Concession.
The chiefs were worried that the GREL continued to witness serious felling of rubber trees as well as degradation.
Nana Kwesi Agyeman IX, the Chairman of the ACLANGO who expressed the sentiments on behalf of the chiefs at their annual general meeting said: “As Chiefs, we are expected to champion the fight against these environmental destructive activities, that have become so pervasive but I hear some of us are even involved…No Chief will be backed or supported when arrested.”
According to him, the seven companies processing rubber in the country could barely meet production capacity due to illegal mining activities and the exportation of raw rubber without any value addition.
The Chairman therefore encouraged stakeholders to make it a point to halt the actions that had the tendency to disrupt production and affect employment opportunities for the locals.
He praised the GREL for expanding weighing centres, as well as the provision of some amenities in their operating communities.
Nana Kwesi Agyeman IX further entreated the chiefs not to unlawfully evade or encroach on the lands allotted to GREL…”We know our compensation on the land is lagging but GREL continued to give each chief here some amount twice in a year, why should we then encroach or destroy their farms”.
Mr. Perry Acheampong, the Corporate Affairs Manager of the GREL, said the company continued to strengthen it bonds with catchment communities through various social intervention schemes.
In 2025, the company spent 7.8 million cedis on community projects and intends to build teachers bungalow, nurses quarters, schools, support Effia Nkwanta ICU project and provide some KVIPs.
Mr. Acheampong reiterated how exportation of raw rubber was depriving the Ghanaian economy some foreign exchange, local jobs and thrive of local industries.
A major area of concern was the galamsey menace recording some 175 cases in 2025.
Between January and February this year, 42 cases had been recorded.
He mentioned Kyekyewere, Bamianko,Kadadwen, Tetrem among others as key areas where the company’s trees were being illegally felled in the name of gold.
Mr. Joseph Nelson, the Western Regional Minister said the region would facilitate dialogue and support lawful, sustenance of industrial operations in the Region.
He said rubber remained a strategic agricultural industrial asset which needed to be safeguarded to promote local economic growth, industrialisation and ward off activities of illegal mining.
Mr. Nelson therefore charged the chiefs to be good stewards of the land especially as the company battled illegal mining.
GNA
Edited by Justina Hilda Paaga/Benjamin Mensah
23 Feb 2026
