'A time may come where we cannot sow, yield fruit or crops on our galamsey-poisoned land' — Duncan-Williams calls for prayers
The General Overseer of Action Chapel International, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, has called on Ghanaians to pray for the restoration of the country’s polluted water bodies and degraded lands, warning that the continued impact of illegal mining could have serious consequences for food security and public health.
Speaking during a church service, Archbishop Duncan-Williams expressed concern over the destruction of rivers and farmlands through illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
“We're praying concerning the healing of our water bodies and lands, that our bodies and lands will not be poisoned through this galamsey,” he said.
He warned that the continued pollution of water bodies and degradation of farmlands could eventually undermine agricultural production and threaten the country’s food supply.
“We need to also pray for our agriculture sector and for the Minister of Agriculture. We need to pray that there will be no food shortage in our land,” he said.
The Archbishop stressed that the effects of galamsey were not limited to the destruction of water bodies, arguing that pollutants from mining activities could also contaminate agricultural land.
“I'm not just talking about the nations from Togo, Nigeria, Benin and Zimbabwe. We want to specifically pray that there will be no food shortage because the land is being poisoned. Through the poison of the water, we are poisoning the land.”
He cautioned that continued environmental degradation could eventually affect the ability of Ghanaian soil to support farming.
“A time may come where we cannot sow and yield fruit or crops in the land because the land is poisoned. So, it cannot bear fruit. It can't yield the crops we need because of galamsey,” he said.
Archbishop Duncan-Williams also raised concerns about the potential health risks associated with consuming food produced on contaminated land, warning that harmful substances from mining activities could enter the food chain.
Beyond the environmental concerns, the Archbishop urged Ghanaians to pray for the country’s political leaders regardless of their political affiliations.
“It is important to pray for those in authority and for whoever the president is, irrespective of the political party,” he said.
He expressed concern that Ghana’s two-party political system was increasingly creating divisions among citizens and turning political differences into personal conflicts.
“It looks like this two-party democratic system we are operating is dividing us as a nation and it's turning us into enemies,” he said.
The Archbishop called for greater national unity and brotherly love, urging Ghanaians to reject political bitterness, revenge and division as the country confronts challenges such as illegal mining and environmental degradation.