A former President of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, Rev. Professor Paul Frimpong-Manso, has expressed deep concern over the increasing illegal mining (galamsey) activities in the country, which are severely impacting water bodies.

He warned that the issue poses an existential threat to the nation if not addressed immediately.

“We are sitting on a time bomb. It is a disaster. We are committing a national genocide, not only against ourselves but against generations yet unborn,” Rev. Prof. Frimpong-Manso stated during an interview on JoyNews' Upfront on Thursday, September 5.

He questioned the manifestos of both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), criticizing both parties for failing to address galamsey activities.

“If Otumfuo could recently sack three chiefs, if two journalists can go and arrest some people and bring them to justice, if a king in the Eastern Region can just order bulldozers to be burned, what about those who control the police, the Mining Commission, the Minister, the District Chief Executives (DCEs), and the rest?" he asked.

Rev. Prof. Frimpong-Manso highlighted a complete institutional failure, stressing that no rhetoric can compensate for it unless there is action.

"As for the Church leaders, please, we are the conscience of the nation. We must either keep quiet and sink together with the populace... So, to my fellow church leaders, we must preach the truth. People may hate us, fight us, or not understand us, but that is what Desmond Tutu and others did to liberate South Africa from apartheid," he said.

He added that illegal mining has become even more dangerous and called on church leaders to do more than just preach the gospel and pretend that everything is fine.

“Our nation is being destroyed. We are heading toward national doom, and it’s better late than never. I hope that by this coming Sunday, church leaders will wear red bands, go out, and demonstrate—even if it is to the Jubilee House or elsewhere,” Rev. Prof. Frimpong-Manso urged.