CHURCHES RALLY SUPPORT AGAINST 'GALAMSEY'

Heads of churches and Para-Church organizations in the Ashanti region under the auspices of the Ghana Evangelism Committee have joined the fight against illegal and unprofessional artisanal gold mining popularly known as “galamsey” in the country.

 In a statement signed by 88 of such leaders and read by the immediate past Kumasi Methodist Diocesan Bishop, Right Reverend Professor Osei Sarfo Kantanka after a news conference held in Kumasi, they expressed regret about the negative and harmful impact galamsey is having on the environment. 

The statement indicated that the reduction of Ghana’s eight-point-three million hectares of forest land at independence to one-point two million hectares today is attributable partly to illegal and indiscriminate gold mining. 

It mentioned also the destruction of aquatic life in the Pra, Ankobra and the Birim rivers, death of about 400 illegal miners annually, the serious health implications of the use of chemicals like mercury as well as the destruction of houses and in certain cases the entire village in mining areas as condemnable. 

The church leaders therefore commended the President in particular and the government for the decisive action so far taken to arrest the situation.

 It encouraged the government to put in place pragmatic arrangement to encourage safe prospecting and exploration of gold and other mineral resources adding that once some countries like Brazil have done it, Ghana can also achieve that. 

The statement expressed regret about the fact that Ghanaians have mismanaged the natural environment leading to bush fires, land degradation and deforestation as some other consequences. 

It reminded particularly Christians of their religious obligation to protect nature and entreated everyone to rally behind the government in the crusade to stem the tide of illegal mining and its resultant negative impact for current and future generations.