The Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, in collaboration with the Conference of Major Superiors of Religious, Ghana, and the Catholic Lay Faithful and Professionals, has embarked on an Environmental Prayer Protest Walk Against Galamsey. The aim of this walk is to take a stand against the devastating effects of galamsey (illegal mining) in Ghana and advocate for immediate action by the Government to protect the environment, end galamsey, promote sustainable development, and ensure a healthy future for generations to come.
A statement released by the church earlier enumerated the specific objectives of the prayer walk as:
1. to raise awareness about the devastating effects of galamsey;
2. to advocate for the Government to declare a state of emergency to stop all forms of mining activities on the water bodies, the buffers of the river, and in the forest reserves to allow for the healing of the land;
3. to mobilize Catholics and Ghanaians to demand immediate action;
4. to promote environmental sustainability and protection and
5. to foster collaboration among stakeholders to address the issue.
The statement noted that galamsey has become a national public disaster, leading to the loss of lives in the galamsey pits; an increase in diseases linked to galamsey; the destruction of water bodies, forests, and farmlands; the pollution of rivers and water sources; the loss of biodiversity and the disruption of the ecosystem, as well as contributing to economic losses and social instability.
The Church explained that the Environmental Prayer Protest Walk Against Galamsey initiative reflected her constitutional, civil, and religious commitment to the country and its ecosystem. The statement said that the Catholic Church had consistently expressed concern and called for swift and decisive action to end illegal small-scale mining (Galamsey). The Church noted that galamsey, an existential threat, rapidly devastates the environment and poses significant health risks to Ghanaians. It noted that the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) had repeatedly issued statements and voiced strong disapproval of the menace. It added that some Catholic Lay Professionals and Societies had also issued public statements against this environmental hazard. The Church said that it had become necessary to express its advocacy in the prayer protest walk, which commenced at the Holy Spirit Cathedral, Adabraka, Accra this morning.
The participants, with placards, would prayerfully walk through the Castle Road to the Ridge Roundabout, pass in front of the Parliament House, and head for the Osu Presby turn through Oxford Street to the Danquah Roundabout and continue towards Morning Star School to terminate at the Christ the King Catholic Church, Cantonments, Accra.
The leaders of the walk upon concluding would then present a petition to the President at the Jubilee House, after which an Episcopal Mass will be celebrated with the Archbishop of Accra, His Grace, Most Reverend John Kwofie, at the Christ the King Catholic Church here in Accra.
The Church expects that this walk will increase awareness and public engagement on the issue of galamsey; commit the Government to take concrete steps to address the problem; strengthen collaboration among stakeholders to protect the environment; increase community involvement in environmental conservation and set in motion policy reforms and legislative actions to combat galamsey.
This scourge of galamsey (illegal mining of Gold) has continued to plague the West African country of Ghana over the past few years, with an alarmingly increased activity over the past couple of months with no tangible efforts in place by the Ghanaian government to tackle this menace which continues to destroy the crucial water bodies in Ghana. We hope that with this Prayer Walk by the Catholic Fraternity in Ghana, the government will pay keener attention to this scourge and take the necessary steps to solve this generational problem once and for all, regardless of its proximity to Ghana’s Presidential elections scheduled to hold on December 7.
