The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has issued a strong rebuke to President John Dramani Mahama, faulting him for what they describe as an “unsatisfactory response” to the worsening menace of illegal mining, (galamsey) warning that indecision could drag the country into an ecological and social catastrophe from which there may be no return.
The Bishops revealed that they had twice met the President—first in January and again in May 2025—to press him directly on the devastation caused by galamsey. Yet, they say the answers given by the Head of State were too narrow, preoccupied with economics while ignoring the broader environmental, social, and moral costs of the crisis.
The issue came to a head at the President’s September 10 “Meet the Press” session, when he flatly rejected calls to declare a state of emergency in mining areas and along polluted rivers.
“The hour is late. Delay is betrayal. Now, not tomorrow, not later, is the time to act,” the Bishops warned, adding that his refusal to consider extraordinary action betrays a troubling underestimation of the danger.
Galamsey as a national emergency
In a statement signed by Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Bishop of Sunyani and President of the Conference, the Bishops stressed that galamsey is no longer a routine problem but a national emergency.
They described the illegal mining epidemic as an existential threat that undermines Ghana’s environment, governance, and moral fabric—turning rivers into poison, farmlands into wastelands, and forests into bare earth, while putting the health of millions at grave risk.
Water bodies such as the Pra, Ankobra, Birim, Offin, and Ayensu have been transformed into chemical-laden streams, their contamination with mercury making purification almost impossible. Farmers can no longer rely on the soil to feed their families, while the Ghana Water Company struggles at enormous cost to deliver water that is barely drinkable.
The Bishops also warned of toxins seeping into the food chain, leading to cancers, kidney failure, and neurological disorders. Children, lured by quick money, are abandoning school for unsafe mining pits—many perishing in preventable collapses.
For the Bishops, the evidence is overwhelming: Ghana is approaching a point of no return.
A betrayal of trust
The Bishops’ statement went beyond environmental concerns, accusing political and traditional leaders of betraying their responsibility to protect the nation.
They cited reports of politicians, chiefs, local government officials, and even elements of the security services shielding illegal miners or granting them protection in exchange for personal gain. Others, they said, have chosen silence over courage.
“This betrayal of trust cuts to the very marrow of our national identity,” the statement declared, insisting that those who enrich themselves while the nation suffers must repent.
The Bishops also placed the crisis in a spiritual frame, reminding Ghanaians that galamsey is not merely an environmental crime but a sin against God. Quoting Psalm 24:1, they wrote: “the earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.”
Call for extraordinary action
Reiterating their long-standing demand, the Bishops urged President Mahama to declare a state of emergency in the hardest-hit mining zones and river basins.
They argued that such a move would allow the state to impose curfews in volatile areas, reclaim destroyed lands, dismantle criminal networks, and confront the entrenched corruption that fuels illegal mining.
But they also cautioned that a declaration alone would be meaningless without a comprehensive strategy. They proposed tighter mining laws with stronger penalties, the creation of special courts for swift prosecutions, and the establishment of a permanent, corruption-proof task force combining security services, environmental experts, and local authorities.
Justice tempered with mercy
Even as they pressed for tougher enforcement, the Bishops urged the government to address the poverty that drives many into illegal mining.
They recommended properly regulated small-scale mining zones with strict environmental controls, while also supporting displaced farmers with access to land, credit, and training. A large-scale afforestation and reclamation programme, they suggested, could both restore degraded lands and provide jobs for the youth.
