The Christian Council of Ghana has joined the growing number of people demanding the prohibition of illegal mining also known as galamsey.
The religious organization is making this request at a time when the negative impacts of illegal mining on the environment, nearby communities, and the future of the country have gotten to the point where many stakeholders are calling for swift action to stop the practice.
Galamsey, according to Reverend Cyril Fayose, General Secretary of the Christian Council, poses a threat to Ghana’s natural resources, particularly its farms, waterways, and ecosystems.
” 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”, he sated.
Reverend Fayose emphasized the gravity of the situation and said that the threat needed to be neutralized right away.
“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”, he emphasised.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Mary Asantewaa Buabeng
