The Catholic Church in Ghana has taken a firm stance against illegal mining, also known as ‘Galamsey,’ urging government and citizens to protect the environment and end destructive mining practices.
The Bishops of the Accra Archdiocese, together with thousands of Catholic parishioners, arranged an “Environmental Prayer Walk” in Ghana’s capital to protest against the harmful impact of illegal mining, known as galamsey.
The peaceful demonstration on Friday, October 11, focused on raising awareness about the environmental harm caused by galamsey and concluded with the submission of a petition to the presidency.
The protesters came together to demand stronger environmental protections and an end to galamsey, which has devastated Ghana’s water bodies and ecosystems.
“The battle is for everyone to engage in: policymakers, business leaders, traditional chiefs, and every Ghanaian,” said Fr. Michael Quarcoo, the Director of Governance, Justice & Peace/Chaplain to Parliament and a representative of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference.
The march saw widespread participation, featuring groups like FixTheCountry and the Democracy Hub.
READ ALSO:Ghana Faces Backlash Over Stalled Anti-LGBTQ Legislation
Nii Ayi Sagoe, a member of Democracy Hub, stated that their challenge is the desire to see Galamsey come to an end and have their water bodies restored. They pledged full support for any group committed to achieving this goal.
The severe environmental damage resulting from unregulated gold-mining activities has led to increasing calls for immediate government intervention, including declaring a state of emergency in mining regions and revoking mining licenses.
Ghana, currently facing an economic crisis, is scheduled to resume debt repayments in two weeks.
The Ghana Chambers of Mines reported that the growth rate for the core mining and quarrying sub-sector (excluding oil and gas) decreased from 28.9 percent in 2022 to 7.2 percent in 2023.
Activist Bernard Mornah urges a change in perspective: “We’ve been engaged in mining for ages. Can anyone honestly say that mineral revenue has funded the development of any infrastructure here? We still resort to borrowing to address our nation’s issues. Isn’t that disheartening?”
The walk concluded at the Christ the King Temple, where a petition was submitted.
The location is especially symbolic since it sits adjacent to Revolution Square, a site once off-limits to democracy activists and often subjected to harsh enforcement measures.
It is yet to be determined if this indicates a move toward a more accommodating police approach to protests or simply represents the ongoing practice of selective justice.
