To climax it’s much anticipated protest against illegal mining activities ravaging the environment, the Catholic Church has called on President Akufo-Addo to adopt every means necessary to defeat the menace.
In a petition addressed directly to the head of state, the church called on government to treat the matter as a security situation which implies declaring a state of emergency befitting its gravity.
Among other things, the priests have joined calls to ban mining in forest reserves even as prosecutors push for harsher penalties for offenders in the courts.
“We urge government to swiftly employ all available means to immediately halt illegal mining activities. This means that the problem is stated clearly and unambiguously as a Social, Economic and National Security issue.
Thus articulated, it must engender actions such as the declaration of a state of emergency in relation to galamsey, triggeringamoratorium on issuing mining licences, repealing of LI 2462, which allows mining in forest reserves, enforcing existing laws, holding perpetrators accountable, and ensuring that those involved in illegal mining face the full force of the law without fear or favour,” the petition read in part.
Recognizing the crucial role sensitization plays in the fight against galamsey, the Catholic church urged the media and civil society organizations to “amplify education and awareness campaigns on the devastating effects” of the problem in order that citizens could understand the “long-term consequences” if it went unchecked.
To restore the damaged areas, the priests appealed to government to make the local communities and chiefs key stakeholders to make the recovery program transparent.
The church also called on political parties and candidates for public office to “make public commitments against galamsey”.
In the petition, the Catholic priests highlighted the destruction of our water bodies, loss of agricultural lands and crops and health risks as the devastating impacts illegal mining had made in the country.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Mitchell Asare Amoamah
