Majority of Ghana’s river deities have been rendered powerless by the effects of illegal mining (galamsey), according to Okomfo Baffour Gyau, a member of the Fetish Priests Association of Ghana, based in the Abofrem community of the Ashanti region.

He claims the country is experiencing a steady rise in disasters, crime and other vices due to the impotency of some sacred activities.

"The galamsey menace has turned all the spirits in the rivers that were guarding the nation helpless,” he claimed. "At first there was high fear for someone to steal, but today robbery is increasing daily because curses don't work".

He was speaking at the 14th Yam Festival in the Bibiani Old Town, where a number of traditional priests displayed their antics.

Okomfo Baffour Gyau urged the government to end the menace of galamsey to halt its destruction of the nation's traditional worship.

"Now there is a high death rate and other outbreaks of diseases in the country that are caused by the bad activities of human beings because our river bodies have lost their power of protection," observed the priest.

Some leaders of the Christian community have also spoken against the adverse impact of pollution of water bodies on their baptising of new converts.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Nkawie, Oheneba Kwame Ako has encouraged the citizenry to shun violence as the country goes to the polls in December.