The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) is calling on the government to introduce far stronger measures in the fight against illegal mining, including declaring a state of emergency in areas heavily affected by galamsey.
In a communiqué released after its Annual Plenary Assembly in Damongo in the Savannah Region, the Conference described the level of ecological destruction as both a moral crisis and a spiritual challenge, stressing that creation must be treated not as an expendable resource but as a sacred partner deserving care and protection.
Environmental Damage Reaches Critical Levels
The Bishops highlighted disturbing national figures:
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Over 5,252 hectares of forest reserves were destroyed by illegal mining in 2025 alone
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44 of 288 forest reserves are now classified as degraded
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Approximately 75% of Ghana’s rivers are polluted, largely from the mercury and cyanide used in galamsey operations
Although they acknowledged measures such as the creation of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), they argued that the scale of destruction requires a more forceful and comprehensive national response.
Calls for Immediate Presidential Intervention
The GCBC urged President John Dramani Mahama to introduce a new set of aggressive interventions, including:
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Declaring a state of emergency in high-risk mining zones
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Fast-tracking the prosecution of offenders, without political interference
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Launching a full reclamation of lands destroyed by illegal or irresponsible mining
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Instituting transparent national reporting on water quality, forest cover, and food safety
Support for Traditional Authorities and Citizens
The Conference praised chiefs and queen mothers who have taken firm action to protect their lands from illegal mining, encouraging others to do the same.
They also appealed to all Ghanaians to join the fight, insisting that the nation’s rivers, forests, and farmlands must be “sanitised and healed” to secure the well-being of current and future generations.
