Declare state of emergency on galamsey …GCBC to Pres
The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) has called on President John Dramani Mahama to immediately declare a state of emergency in the country’s most affected mining areas, describing illegal mining (galamsey) as a “national calamity” threatening the very soul of the nation.
The Bishops said galamsey had become one of the gravest afflictions of Ghana’s time, devastating rivers and forests, poisoning soils, endangering public health, undermining governance, and destroying livelihoods.
In a statement signed by its President, Most Reverend Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Bishop of Sunyani, and shared with The Ghanaian Times on Monday in Accra, the Bishops warned that galamsey was not only an environmental disaster but also “a grave sin against God,” as it desecrates creation and endangers future generations.
“The Pra, Ankobra, Birim, Offin, Ayensu and other once-pristine rivers are now laced with mercury and toxic effluents. Some have ceased to flow downstream, while others show turbidity levels so extreme that they defy purification,” the statement lamented.
The Conference expressed concern over the health implications of galamsey, citing rising cases of cancers, kidney failure, neurological disorders, and skin diseases linked to contaminated water and food sources.
It also noted the tragic toll on children who abandoned school to work in mining pits, with many losing their lives in avoidable accidents.
Beyond ecological damage, the Bishops accused politicians, chiefs, some religious leaders, and elements of the security services of complicity in the menace by shielding illegal operators for personal gain.
“Galamsey has become a cancer in our national soul. It corrodes politics, corrodes governance, and corrodes conscience,” the statement said, warning that the activity now poses a direct threat to national security by enriching criminal cartels and fuelling violent conflicts.
The Bishops also criticised President Mahama for what they described as an inadequate response, revealing that despite raising concerns with him earlier this year, the President dismissed calls for a state of emergency during his “Meet the Press” session on September 10.
According to the statement: “This is profoundly troubling. The hour is late. Delay is betrayal. Now, not tomorrow, not later, is the time to act.”
They, therefore, urged the government to declare a state of emergency in galamsey hotspots and around endangered water bodies, strengthen mining laws with harsher penalties, and establish specialised courts for speedy prosecution.
They also called for the creation of a permanent, corruption-proof task force involving security agencies, environmental experts, and local authorities to ensure consistent enforcement.
At the same time, they emphasised the need to provide sustainable alternatives through regulated small-scale mining, land restoration, afforestation, and youth employment initiatives.
The Bishops stressed that prosecutions must target “not only the poor but also the powerful; not only the weak but also the well-connected.”
Addressing the wider public, they called on Ghanaians to resist the lure of quick wealth, chiefs to uphold their custodial responsibilities, politicians to put the nation first, religious leaders to speak boldly, and security agencies to act with integrity.
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