The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has called on politicians across the country to rise above partisan and personal interests in the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey. 

In a press statement issued, the bishops said the scale of devastation caused by galamsey requires “decisive, extraordinary response” and warned that no political calculation should stand in the way of protecting the nation’s future. 

“To politicians: place Ghana above personal and partisan advantage,” the statement urged.

The bishops lamented that illegal mining has “ravaged our rivers and forests, poisoned our soil, endangered public health, corrupted governance, eroded our moral fibre, and extinguished livelihoods.” 

They stressed that the crisis “is not a routine challenge to be managed with half-measures” but a national emergency demanding unity and selfless leadership. 

Citing biblical stewardship, the bishops reminded leaders that “the earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it” and that public office carries a duty to safeguard creation rather than exploit it.

They also condemned the complicity of some public officials and traditional leaders in shielding illegal operators or granting illicit concessions for personal gain. Such behaviour, they warned, “cuts to the very marrow of our national identity” and undermines the rule of law. 

“Galamsey has become a cancer in our national soul. It corrodes politics, corrodes governance, and corrodes conscience,” the statement said, adding that delay or silence amounts to betrayal.

The bishops urged the government to declare a state of emergency in the worst-affected mining areas and to launch a comprehensive national strategy that combines tough enforcement with sustainable alternatives for communities. 

They also appealed to chiefs, religious leaders, and security agencies to act with integrity and courage. 

“This struggle is not merely about law enforcement. It concerns the very soul of Ghana,” the statement concluded, calling on all leaders to put the national interest first so that “our children inherit a homeland and not a desert.”