Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, the king of Akyem Abuakwa, has urged religious leaders to take a more prominent role in safeguarding the environment. He emphasized the critical need for proactive measures to address environmental degradation’s detrimental effects on both the global economy and human survival. Okyenhene made this call during a public lecture titled “Transformational Leadership in Contemporary Ghana,” organized by the University of Ghana’s Graduate Students Association. He emphasized the need for religious leaders to leverage their influence to inspire and mobilize communities towards sustainable practices. He urged them to motivate their followers to uphold their religious tenets in conserving the environment. The Okyenhene cited Christian, Muslim and even Ghanaian traditional beliefs which emphasised on environmental respect. The Okyenhene questioned whether Ghanaians are genuinely adhering to their religious and traditional principles regarding environmental stewardship. He pointed to the alarming evidence of environmental degradation, urging Ghanaians to do more to protect the Earth. The Okyenhene addressed the environmental devastation caused by illegal mining, also known as “galamsey, and his efforts to combat it, including advocating for a collective approach, removing chiefs involved in the practice, and supporting government initiatives. He additionally expressed concerns regarding the effectiveness of Ghana’s decentralization systems,particularly whether current local governance structures effectively promote development at the grassroots level. The Okyenhene pointed out discrepancies between the mandated functions of District Chief Executives (DCEs) outlined in Ghana’s constitution and their roles in practice. He argued that the current system overshadows the contributions of assembly members who share responsibility for executive and administrative functions.