E/R: Nana Yaa Fosua Boatemah III Installs Baafuor Kwabena Atwi Boasiako as Family Head, Calls for Action Against Galamsey in Asiakwa

The Queen of Akyem Asiakwa and Nifa Hemaa of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area, Nana Yaa Fosua Boatemah III, has officially installed Baafuor Kwabena Atwi Boasiako as the new Family Head, marking a significant milestone in the traditional leadership of the family.

The enthronement ceremony, held on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at the family house in Asiakwa, drew some gathering of traditional leaders, family members, residents and well-wishers. The event was conducted under tight security to ensure a peaceful and orderly ceremony.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the event, Nana Yaa Fosua Boatemah III explained that the appointment of the new Family Head followed extensive consultations with family members after the demise of the former Family Head three years ago.

According to her, the prolonged vacancy had made it necessary to appoint a capable successor to ensure effective administration and preserve peace, unity and progress within the family. She noted that advancing age and declining physical strength also informed her decision, expressing confidence that the newly installed Family Head would provide the leadership needed to strengthen the family and contribute to the development of Asiakwa, Nifaman and Okyeman.

The Queen also expressed deep concern over the increasing destruction caused by illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, in the Asiakwa area. She lamented that the menace has, over the past three years, severely degraded farmlands and polluted major water bodies, posing serious environmental and health risks to residents.

She further criticized the area's current traditional leadership for what she described as a lack of decisive action to address the growing environmental crisis. Nana Yaa Fosua Boatemah III therefore appealed to the Government to deploy the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) to Asiakwa to intensify the fight against illegal mining and help restore the degraded environment.

In his acceptance speech, Baafuor Kwabena Atwi Boasiako expressed profound appreciation to Nana Yaa Fosua Boatemah III, the elders and the entire family for the confidence reposed in him. He pledged to work closely with traditional authorities and family elders to promote peace, unity and sustainable development within the family, Asiakwa and the wider Nifaman area.

He also identified youth unemployment as a major factor contributing to the rise in illegal mining and drug abuse in the community. According to him, creating opportunities for young people and engaging them in productive ventures would significantly reduce these social challenges.

The newly installed Family Head pledged to champion advocacy against illegal mining and substance abuse while working with stakeholders to reduce the prevalence of the two social problems to the barest minimum. He further called on residents, particularly the youth, to embrace unity, cooperation and collective responsibility in advancing the socio-economic development of Asiakwa and its surrounding communities.

Credit: Nana Kwasi Asare