The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) has sounded a grave warning about the devastating impact of illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, describing it as a “cancer in our national soul” that is eating deep into the fabric of the nation.
In a strongly worded statement signed by its President, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, the Bishops painted a dire picture of the destruction caused by galamsey, noting that rivers, forests, farmlands, and even the country’s moral fibre are being steadily eroded.
They highlighted the contamination of once-pristine rivers such as the Pra, Ankobra, Birim, Offin, and Ayensu, now heavily polluted with mercury and toxic effluents. The Ghana Water Company, they noted, now struggles to make water even barely potable, with turbidity levels in the Ayensu River reaching an alarming 32,000 NTU—vastly above the company’s maximum treatment capacity of 2,500 NTU.
The Bishops warned that the consequences of galamsey extend far beyond environmental damage. Millions of Ghanaians are at risk as toxins enter the food chain, causing cancers, skin diseases, kidney failure, and neurological disorders. They also lamented the human toll, with children abandoning their education for dangerous mining pits, often dying in preventable accidents while chasing illusory quick riches.
The GCBC further pointed out that galamsey undermines governance, fuels lawlessness, and deepens violent conflict in mining areas. They called for urgent and extraordinary interventions, declaring the situation a national emergency that cannot be addressed with “half-hearted measures.”
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
