The Christian Council of Ghana has joined the increasing demand for urgent and decisive actions to tackle illegal mining, commonly referred to as ‘galamsey.’
Citing the extensive damage to water bodies, farmlands, and ecosystems caused by galamsey, the Council expressed concerns about the severe threat it poses to the nation’s future.
The General Secretary of the Council, Reverend Cyril Fayose, stressed the importance of addressing the issue promptly, warning that the environmental and social impacts could have long-lasting repercussions.
Reverend Fayose advocated for more than just reactive responses, calling for comprehensive strategies to safeguard Ghana’s rapidly diminishing natural resources.
He proposed either a complete ban on all small-scale mining or, at the very least, a temporary suspension to reassess mining practices and reform the small-scale mining sector.
The goal, he stated, is to ensure that mining is community-owned, promoting greater responsibility and environmental protection.
“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.”
