The president of the National Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation, Rev. Fr. Nicholas Aazine, says the fight against galamsey is not about political parties but about governments massaging the issue.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on September 23, he said the church has long raised concerns about the devastation caused by illegal mining.

“We felt, well, something was happening, and then they sealed it off. And then a new government came. Honestly. They joined us in the same cry, and we were thinking, at the end of the day, they’ve taken the mantle. Now let’s see something.”

But he noted that the actions have only mirrored what previous governments did.

“I mean, some of the things being shown on TV were some of the things the previous government was doing. The bishop conference has just written another communique, and they are saying, 'Let’s do something.'”

He stressed that political promises have not been matched by real action.

“Look, if things are not translated on the ground, and it’s all bookish and it’s all news, and look, people will continue to make noise.”

The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, on September 18, called on President John Mahama to immediately declare a state of emergency in areas ravaged by illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey. 

Read also: Galamsey: Declare state of emergency without hesitation – Bishops’ Conference to Mahama

In a strongly worded pastoral message, the bishops warned that galamsey “ravages our rivers and forests, poisons our soil, endangers public health, corrupts governance, erodes our moral fibre, and extinguishes livelihoods.” 

They stressed that the situation “is not a routine challenge to be managed with half-measures; it is a national emergency requiring decisive, extraordinary response.”

Rev. Fr. Aazine recalled writing recently about how the issue is being handled.

“I wrote an article a couple of days ago, saying the issue is now being massaged. It’s not an NDC, NPP, matter to massage. I’m talking about the government, anyone who comes into office massages the issue. And it’s something very bad, which we need to look at.”

He welcomed calls for a state of emergency in galamsey areas.

“So if people are calling for a state of emergency, I mean, sometimes people think it’s going to come to the whole country, or what I don’t know... some are saying, 'No, we’ve, we’ve done all kinds of things and looked at it in different ways, but it is not working.

"So declaring the state of emergency would halt what is happening, and then people can come together. We sit together and talk about some measures, concrete measures.”