Stop Galamsey Now! - The Catholic Church’s Consistent Stand and the Call for a Targeted State of Emergency

In recent days, social media and public discourse in Ghana have been awash with divergent reactions to a bold call by the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference (GCBC) for President John Dramani Mahama to declare a targeted state of emergency in areas affected by illegal mining (galamsey). While many including myself have applauded this call as timely and courageous, others have, unfortunately, responded with vitriol, misinformation, and misguided accusations against the Catholic Church.

Some critics have gone so far as to question the Church’s moral authority and consistency—asking, “Where were they under the Akufo-Addo regime?” Others have dismissed the statement as politically motivated or belated. But such comments, though loud, reveal a worrying ignorance of the historical facts and the unwavering commitment the Catholic Church has consistently demonstrated in the fight against galamsey over the years, regardless of which government is in power.

The Catholic Church Has Been Consistent

To set the record straight, the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference has been one of the most vocal and consistent voices against the galamsey scourge. Under President Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration, the Catholic Church did not remain silent. In fact, in 2017, during the peak of public outcry over the environmental degradation caused by illegal mining, the Catholic Bishops were among the earliest to issue communiqués and pastoral letters condemning galamsey in no uncertain terms.

In November 2017, during their annual plenary assembly in Ho, the GCBC declared:

“We strongly support the fight against illegal mining (galamsey) and urge the government not to relent. We call on all stakeholders, including chiefs, religious leaders, politicians, and ordinary citizens, to see this as a collective moral duty to protect our environment and our future.”

Again in 2019, they organized an Anti-Galamsey Peace Walk in Kumasi, led by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Kumasi, the late Most Rev. Gabriel Justice Yaw Anokye. That walk was attended by hundreds of priests, religious leaders, students, and ordinary Ghanaians. Placards read, “Save Our Water Bodies,” “Galamsey is a Sin Against God,” and “Protect the Future.”

These were not mere press releases; they were deliberate actions involving logistics, mobilization, public engagement, and national attention. What more can be asked of a religious body with no executive or legislative power?

A Moral Call, Not a Political Statement

The recent statement urging President Mahama to declare a targeted state of emergency in affected areas is, therefore, not a new position but a continuation of a long-standing moral call. It is not a political jab. Rather, it is rooted in deep concern for human life, food security, environmental justice, and intergenerational responsibility.

Galamsey has wreaked havoc on our land and water resources. Rivers like the Ankobra, Pra, and Offin have turned into rivers of mud. Cocoa farms are being destroyed. Mercury pollution has increased rates of miscarriage and deformities in some communities. The Church’s outcry stems from this pain—not partisan alignment.

All Hands On Deck
The Catholic Church is not a lone ranger in this battle, but it is one of the few institutions that have maintained a principled and unflinching position, year after year, against illegal mining. In doing so, it has echoed the voice of many Ghanaians—especially the voiceless in remote communities who live with the daily realities of poisoned rivers and lifeless lands.

The current call for a targeted state of emergency is not an overreaction. It is a measured and necessary call. Declaring such an emergency will allow for coordinated military and civil responses, stricter enforcement of environmental laws, relocation and rehabilitation of affected communities, and accelerated prosecution of offenders.

Let us stop misdirecting our frustrations at those who are fighting for a better Ghana. Instead of discrediting the Catholic Church’s effort, we must commend their consistency and join forces in demanding bold, collective, and uncompromising action against galamsey.

If we allow politics to poison our sense of justice, we will remain trapped in this cycle of blame and inaction while our environment dies.

Galamsey is a national cancer, not a partisan issue.

And if the Church is crying out, let us not silence her.

Let us echo her cry, not mock it.
Because when the land dies, we all suffer.
And when water becomes poison, party colours mean nothing.

The time to act is now. And the Church is doing what it must. Will you?

#Puobabangna
By Victor Raul Puobabangna Plance from Eggu in the Upper West Region of Ghana

By Victor Raul Puobabangna Plance