The Mahama-led government has come under renewed pressure to declare a state of emergency in the fight against illegal mining, known locally as galamsey.
The latest to add its voice to the calls is the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference who have decried the devastating environmental impact of illegal mining, which has severely polluted the country’s water bodies and posed grave risks to public health.
During a courtesy call on President John Dramani Mahama, the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Rev. Matthew Gyamfi, called for the immediate deployment of military and law enforcement personnel to expel illegal miners from water bodies and forest reserves.
Most Rev. Gyamfi stated that declaring a state of emergency would empower the government to mobilize the necessary resources and enforcement measures to rehabilitate degraded areas and prevent further environmental destruction.
“Mr. President, in the 32 years of our democratic journey in the Fourth Republic, governance has been dominated by the duopoly of the NDC and NPP, with each party holding power for 16 years. The Catholic Church, which played a role in the fight against authoritarian rule, continues to speak out when necessary, driven by our belief in the sanctity of personal freedom and the holistic development of our people.
“Sadly, despite the achievements over the years, our political evolution remains underwhelming.
“Your Excellency, we approach you now because we believe that, after 32 years of democracy and the decisive mandate handed to you by the Ghanaian electorate, it is time for real and meaningful change. Any failure at this point will likely attract very little sympathy from the citizenry,” he said.
Responding to the concerns, President Mahama acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, revealing that 16% of Ghana’s forest reserves have already been destroyed or encroached upon by illegal mining activities.
He stated that the government is committed to reclaiming and rehabilitating affected lands, leveraging the carbon credit system to fund the restoration efforts.
“We intend to reclaim mined lands and restore forests. Under the carbon credit system, we can generate revenue by restoring forest cover, which in turn allows us to reclaim even more of our forest reserves,” Mahama explained.
The President admitted that the fight against illegal mining is complex but reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to addressing the menace decisively.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm103.5FM/Benjamin Sackey
