The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, will undertake a royal visit to the Jimi Land Reclamation and River Watercourse Rehabilitation Project near Obuasi on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
During the visit, he will plant trees and inspect Lot 1, marking a major milestone in restoring lands severely degraded by unregulated small-scale mining.
The environmental initiative responds to widespread damage caused by unregulated small-scale gold mining, known as galamsey, which has stripped forest vegetation, contaminated soils, and left hazardous open, water-filled pits across the Obuasi and Adansi areas.
Toxic runoff and heavy sediment buildup along the Jimi River threaten the Jimi Dam, a critical source of drinking water for communities across the Adanse Traditional Area.
The reclamation effort stems from Otumfuo’s advocacy against illegal mining during the Mining in Motion forum, which led to the creation of the Ashanti Green Initiative.
Operating as the initiative’s flagship pilot project, the Jimi reclamation brings together key institutional partners, including the Manhyia Palace, providing overall strategic vision and royal patronage; Ashanti Green Initiative, serving as project lead on behalf of the Asantehene and drives community engagement; and AngloGold Ashanti, delivering technical and operational support.
Others are the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, overseeing policy, permitting, and security enforcement through NAIMOS and the Blue Water Guard; and the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), providing regulatory guidance for ecological restoration along the river and buffer zones.
Covering 153 hectares across three designated lots in the Obuasi East Municipality as well as the Adansi Akrofuom and Adansi Asokwa Districts, the pilot targets heavily impacted sites near Gyimisokakraba, Ayease, and Akwesi Ankromakrom.
Restoration works are structured around a six-step process: Backfilling open mining pits and deep gullies; Re-grading spoil heaps and terracing steep slopes; Containing, capping, or removing heavy-metal soil contamination; Installing drainage and erosion control structures to safeguard the river corridor; Restoring and enriching topsoil health; and replanting the land with kenaf, a commercial fibre crop.
Due to residual heavy-metal contamination risks in the soil, kenaf was selected over food crops. The fast-growing fibre crop will be harvested for manufacturing sacks, rope, and eco-composites, establishing a secure income stream for local farmers.
Long-term project plans include continuous water testing to protect the Jimi Dam, as well as ongoing tracking of soil, vegetation, biodiversity, and community health outcomes.
Organizers intend for the Jimi pilot to serve as a national model to rehabilitate other mining-damaged land and water systems across Ghana.