The Methodist Church Ghana has renewed calls for urgent and sustained action against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, warning that the destruction of farmlands and contamination of water bodies are posing a growing threat to the country’s future.

Presiding Bishop of the Church, Most Rev. Prof. Johnson Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, said religious institutions could no longer remain on the sidelines as environmental degradation continues to affect communities.

He urged churches and other faith-based organisations to take a more active role in protecting Ghana’s natural resources.

Speaking at the opening of the Methodist Church Ghana’s 52nd Conference 2026, he said recent devastating floods had exposed shortcomings in the way Christians approach environmental stewardship.

“The recent, devastating deluge in the country exposed the inadequate conception of Christian stewardship and responsibility that we have worked with,” he said.

Most Rev. Prof. Asamoah-Gyadu said the destruction of arable land and pollution of water bodies through illegal mining should be treated as a matter of collective responsibility.

He stressed that the Church’s commitment to environmental protection must be reflected in tangible outcomes rather than remain at the level of declarations.

“Our vision and mission statements must not remain empty slogans; we must pray about them, work towards them, and consciously look out for measurable outcomes on how effective we have been in the discharge of our duties as a church,” he added.

He consequently called on religious bodies to intensify advocacy and practical interventions aimed at protecting the environment, preserving Ghana’s water bodies and farmlands, and promoting responsible stewardship of the country’s natural resources.