The Christian Council of Ghana has joined the growing chorus of voices demanding a complete and immediate ban on illegal mining activities, known as ‘galamsey’.
Reverend Cyril Fayose, General Secretary of the Christian Council, emphasized the existential threat posed by illegal mining to Ghana’s natural resources, including water bodies, farmlands, and ecosystems.
“We are at a critical point, and the situation demands more than just condemnations and reactive measures. We need a well-thought-out and comprehensive strategy to protect Ghana’s future,” Reverend Fayose stressed.
He called for more than just the usual condemnations and reactive measures, emphasising that only a well-thought-out and comprehensive strategy would suffice to protect Ghana’s future.
He proposed two possible solutions: a total ban on small-scale mining or community-owned small-scale mining companies.
“I think there should be a total ban, at least if not a total ban, a moratorium for some time [on galamsey] so that we sit back and think about how to proceed. There are two ways to proceed. One is a total ban on small-scale mining so that no one is allowed to do small-scale mining, just as we don’t allow anyone to mine in water bodies. But the other thing is if we cannot do a total ban on small-scale mining, at least the small-scale mining companies must be community-owned.”
The Christian Council’s call for action echoes the concerns of various stakeholders urging the government to take decisive measures to address the devastating effects of illegal mining on the environment, local communities, and the nation.