The National Catholic Laity Council (NCLC) of Ghana has issued a passionate appeal to government, traditional authorities, and citizens to join an urgent national effort to eradicate illegal mining, locally known as galamsey.
In a Press statement released and signed by National Catholic Laity Council Chairman, Sir John Kofi Tandoh, the Council declared its “full and unwavering support” for the recent Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) declaration describing galamsey as a “national calamity” that threatens the country’s environment, public health, and moral integrity.
Standing firmly with the Catholic Bishops, the NCLC said the scourge of illegal mining is far more than an economic or political challenge, calling it a “moral and spiritual crisis” that “offends both neighbour and God, the Creator and Owner of all things.”
Quoting Scripture and Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, the Council reminded Ghanaians that the earth is the Lord’s and must be cared for as a sacred trust.
The Council highlighted the harsh realities in mining-affected communities, where rivers such as the Pra, Birim, Ankobra, Offin, and Ayensu, once life-giving, are now “poisoned with mercury and cyanide, running brown and lifeless.” Fertile farmlands have been destroyed and abandoned, while children drop out of school to risk their lives in unstable mining pits.
Residents face growing health crises, including skin diseases, kidney ailments, and cancers linked to polluted water and food.
“We see our rivers now poisoned with mercury and cyanide. We witness our children, who should be in school, dropping out to risk their lives,” the statement lamented, warning that galamsey is destroying both livelihoods and the nation’s future.
The Council urged anyone engaged in illegal mining, whether miners, financiers, or silent enablers, to “immediately desist” and repent. “True discipleship demands that we be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We cannot be both destroyers of creation and witnesses of Christ at the same time.”
The Council called on parish priests, lay associations, and small Christian communities to intensify education and dialogue on environmental stewardship and to support those seeking alternative livelihoods.
Echoing the GCBC, the NCLC urged the Government of Ghana to declare a state of emergency in the worst-affected mining zones, prosecute offenders “without fear or favour, including those in high office,” create sustainable economic alternatives for youth, and launch a nationwide reforestation and land reclamation program.
Traditional rulers, opinion leaders, political actors, and security agencies were also called upon to “put the nation first and act with integrity,” warning that silence or complicity is as destructive as illegal mining itself.
“This is not simply a fight for rivers and forests. It is a fight for the soul of Ghana,” the statement concluded. “Let us not allow greed and recklessness to rob future generations of their heritage. With God’s grace, let us rise together, in unity and faith, to protect our common home.”
The NCLC pledged to intensify parish-level advocacy, support environmental protection campaigns, and teach children values of stewardship, honesty, and hard work, while praying for “a national conversion of heart” to end the menace of galamsey once and for all.
By: Daniel Orlando/newsalertgh.com
