The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has urged President John Mahama to show leadership and courage in tackling the galamsey menace by ensuring that justice reaches the powerful and well-connected, not only the poor. 

In a statement issued to the press, the bishops described illegal mining as “a national emergency requiring decisive, extraordinary response” and warned that the country stands at a crossroads between “life or death, blessing or curse.” 

They cautioned that without bold action, Ghana risks losing its rivers, forests and farmland to permanent destruction.

According to the Conference, illegal mining has evolved beyond an environmental issue into a profound moral and national security threat. “Galamsey has become a cancer in our national soul. It corrodes politics, corrodes governance, and corrodes conscience,” the bishops declared. 

They accused some politicians, chiefs, security officers and other leaders of shielding illegal operators for personal gain, adding that this “betrayal of trust cuts to the very marrow of our national identity.”

The bishops also highlighted the human cost of the crisis, pointing to the contamination of major rivers such as the Pra, Ankobra, Birim and Ayensu with mercury and other toxins.

They lamented that farmers can no longer rely on the land to sustain their families, while children abandon school for dangerous pits, suffering injuries and death. 

“The poisons of mining seep silently into our food chain, breeding cancers, skin diseases, kidney failure, and neurological disorders,” the statement said.

Calling for a comprehensive national response, the bishops asked the President to declare a state of emergency in the worst-affected zones and overhaul mining laws to include stiffer penalties, specialised courts, and a permanent corruption-proof task force. 

At the same time, they appealed for compassion towards those driven into galamsey by desperation, urging the government to create regulated small-scale mining zones and sustainable livelihoods. 

“We appeal to President Mahama to show the courage of leadership. His government must prosecute not only the poor but also the powerful; not only the weak but also the well-connected,” the statement concluded.