'Young men must work and eat' – Prophet Badu Kobi backs Sammy Gyamfi on galamsey

Prophet Emmanuel Badu Kobi

Prophet Emmanuel Badu Kobi, founder and general overseer of Glorious Wave Church International, has thrown his support behind Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) CEO Sammy Gyamfi’s position on formalising small-scale mining outside protected areas.

Badu Kobi said he initially had reservations about Gyamfi’s comments but changed his mind after reflecting on the issue, arguing that young people in mining communities should not be prevented from earning a living in areas where their activities are not prohibited by law.

Gyamfi had suggested that unlicensed small-scale miners operating outside protected zones could be registered and formalised. His position distinguishes mining activities in restricted areas, such as forests and river bodies, from those carried out elsewhere.

Speaking about the issue, Badu Kobi said he had initially questioned the proposal but later came to agree with the GoldBod CEO.

“I was thinking about it but after some time I said no, let me think with God and think about it,” he recounted during a church service.

The preacher said he came to believe that the law should determine where mining is prohibited rather than imposing a blanket restriction on all small-scale mining activities.

“The law of the government is that no galamsey in river, whatever it is, no galamsey in forest,” he said.

He added that he was persuaded that Gyamfi was not wrong to support the formalisation of mining activities outside those restricted areas.

“There is no law which says no galamsey outside those places. So he is not wrong,” Badu Kobi stated.

The pastor said the livelihoods of young people in rural communities should also be considered in discussions about illegal mining, stressing that many depend on such work to survive.

“The young men in the village, they must work and eat,” he said.

Badu Kobi urged politicians to put partisan interests aside and focus on creating opportunities for people to earn a living. He maintained that the debate should not be reduced to political disagreements when the livelihoods of mining communities are at stake.

“This is not politics. The politicians must put their politics aside and people must work,” he said.

-Mynewsgh