Asantehene to lead environmental restoration effort at Jimi Land Reclamation Site

On October 14, 2026, the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II will pay a royal visit to the Jimi Land Reclamation and River Watercourse Rehabilitation Project near Obuasi. This visit marks a significant step in the restoration of lands that have been severely damaged by unregulated small-scale mining, also known as galamsey. These activities have left trails of environmental destruction, including deforestation, soil contamination, and hazardous open water-filled pits.

The environmental degradation is a grave concern as it threatens the Jimi Dam, a vital water source for the Adanse Traditional Area. The Asantehene's advocacy against illegal mining during the Mining in Motion forum prompted the establishment of the Ashanti Green Initiative, with the Jimi reclamation serving as its flagship pilot project.

The initiative is a collaborative effort involving key institutions such as the Manhyia Palace, Ashanti Green Initiative, AngloGold Ashanti, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, and the Environmental Protection Authority.

The Jimi reclamation project covers 153 hectares across three lots in Obuasi East Municipality and extends to the Adansi Akrofuom and Adansi Asokwa Districts. The restoration process involves six key steps: backfilling open pits and gullies, re-grading spoil heaps and slopes, decontaminating heavy-metal soil, installing drainage and erosion control structures, restoring topsoil health, and replanting with kenaf, a commercial fiber crop. Kenaf was chosen over food crops due to the high risk of heavy-metal contamination in the soil.

The long-term plans for the Jimi pilot project include continuous water testing to safeguard the Jimi Dam and ongoing monitoring of soil, vegetation, biodiversity, and community health outcomes. The organizers aim for the Jimi pilot to serve as a national model for rehabilitating other mining-damaged lands and water systems across Ghana.